Fleeing the damned
๐ง๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ด๐ถ๐ป๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ ๐ฎ๐ถ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฎ๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐ฏ๐ฟ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฏ.
It began as an ordinary Saturday for Fanie Smith, a resident and business owner on the Vaal River in Gauteng. But in the space of just two hours, Smith and his neighbours were forced to evacuate their homes and flee to higher ground. When 12 of the damโs 60 sluice gates were opened โ all at once - millions of litres of water were sent cascading downstream, destroying homes and properties as low-lying areas were washed away. But residents say that the disaster couldโve been avoided. Continuous rainfall and rising dam levels were a signal to gradually open the sluice gates in the weeks prior and would have prevented the flooding. Carte Blanche finds out what really happened.
Your favourite episodes are now available on Carte Blanche: The Podcast: https://bit.ly/PodcastCB