At least four people are missing, one dead and several injured in the Free State town of Jagersfontein after the wall of a mine dam broke, causing a flood on Sunday, 11 September.
Residents were evacuated and a disaster management team is on-site, reports Times Live. Cell phone towers, roads and houses have been washed away.
‘The town has been separated by the mud so the two communities you can’t access them. There’s a lot of people who have been admitted to hospital – over 20,’ said speaker for the Kopanong Municipality Jerry Moitse according to EWN.
The health implications of the disaster are yet to be assessed, but there are concerns as the dam was used to store byproducts of mining operations in the town.
The cause of the break has not been confirmed. The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy said it is conducting investigations.
Footage from the scene below.
🟥UPDATE🟥 Free State Kopanong Local Municipality Executive Mayor, Xolani Tseletsele cautions residents about the mining sluice dumps that has burst. Tseletsele confirmed his communication with the MEC for Cogta in relation to the incident. pic.twitter.com/efW02jyfIw
— Central News (@fscentralnews) September 11, 2022
📌In the News: Gift of the Givers on SABC 404 at 1pm today discussing dam wall collapse in #Jagersfontein 📍.#GiftoftheGivers #MakeADifference #ForTheGreaterGood #DisasterResponse #SA #SouthAfrica pic.twitter.com/xQjPFj7LiV
— Gift of the Givers (@GiftoftheGivers) September 11, 2022
Search & rescue operations to locate 4 missing persons are continuing at this hour in the mining town of Jagersfontein in the Free State.
This comes after a mine dam burst there causing flooding.
Houses have collapsed while a sea of mud & water flows into the town.#TheLegalSA pic.twitter.com/OIjFQOlP88
— The Legal SA (@TheLegalSA) September 11, 2022
ALSO READ: Escaped chimpanzee returns to shelter in Ukraine on a bicycle
