“It’s been a nightmare” - the Vaal sweeps away cars after bursting its banks during flooding

Heavy rains have caused major flooding in the Vaal area on the weekend. Residents living along the rivers in the area were told to evacuate. Eyewitness News went to the areas affected to chat to residents whose homes were flooded and damaged.
#VaalFlooding

[@premierhoner614]

Our prayers go out to you all. Be strong and be safe..........

[@annahendricksmxvhbyc]

Praying for everybody 🙋🌹❤️🙏

[@ilsejvr]

This is heartbreaking to see 😭. May everyone stay safe 💕

[@oliviajasriel9697]

How can we help these people? My heart goes out to all of you.

[@HoriandRangisAdventures]

Our prayers are with you, we have just got over two cyclones in a month the latest one a few days ago caused a terrific amount of damage

[@chrissylater5863]

I have goosebumps on my back watching this footage. I cannot imagine what you are going through. So sorry to everyone 😣😥

[@majonzainjegame6636]

We must be proactive in helping our fellow south Africans when faced with natural disasters. Lets act like the Americans do when facing the same.

[@rynhardduplessis6535]

All new developments also contributing as land is taking for building of houses and roads all the water use to soak into the soil now is guided into rivers and streams

[@Slappies007]

My deepest sympathy, to loss everything will absolutely destroy me😢

[@kingmufasa8929]

We are living in the end times Floods, corruption, wars, destruction, everything is happening. Our prayers are with you all.

[@tff8514]

God be with the people affected and call those who are meant to help. May they help with honour. Amen

[@sueelliott4793]

We had floods in most of the whole North Island of New Zealand so I can empathise with ya mate. As Maori say, "Kia kaha", stay strong 🤗

[@mgmassey174]

So many people displaced world wide. Prayers for them all

[@mariepretoriuspretorius6885]

I am so sorry for these people. But what could you expect from you know who.

[@frankagliottisnr3657]

But the muniscipality must be held for no maintenance of stormwater pipes been blocked for years

[@bhekibhengu337]

God no matter how much we sin,no one deserves this,we are your children

[@tafirenyikashylet4707]

Amen

[@katlegomaila7416]

We keep you in our prayers all will be well in Jesus name amen.

[@thobekimdlodlo8132]

Am speechless 💔

[@alicesuestuart9073]

Our Heavenly Father God of Almighty God bless all these people in South Africa. And Father God I'm asking this prayer 🙏🙏🙏 in the name of Jesus Christ. Bless everyone in the South Africa and let them heal and find a way to fix there business back to where they can have a living and money and food. In the name of Jesus Christ AMEN

[@stampinturtles]

God hear their prayers. 💔😢🙏🏻

[@Norman-Reid_Africa]

God’s judgment is here. No place on this earth will escape it. Not even those that will try to hide in their bunkers

[@marieecott7124]

Amen 🙏 ✝️ prayer's for all .

[@tshegofatsokgoroba6753]

Eish. Sorry for all people that have been forced to evacuate their homes.

[@debbiesequeira6963]

I pray GOD uplift all our people from this severe devastations. I pray LORD please keep everyone safe healthy happy and be covered under your precious blood. You will never leave us nor forsake us. You with us to the ends of the earth. You are a sweet sweetheart heart my LORD. Thank you LORD you deserve the highest praise glory and honour.,for being merciful to each and everyone on the face of the earth. Amen.

[@thehorselady861]

I have one question and I feel the pain and loss of the situation, but why are people allowed to build below the 100 year flood level? If it happened before it WILL happen again...

[@neelsmostert]

The majority of those houses were built illegally during apartheid. I know because my father was a policeman in Vanderbijlpark and often told us how the court ordered houses to be dismantled but soon after they were just rebuilt. Then after 1994, everyone just jumped in and built without approval as the town council does not care. In the past 30 years, its probably the 5th or 6th time this has happened.

[@drevil4454]

A pity the water could not be redirected through Lethuli house.

[@SbuAfrica]

I knew atleast someone will blame the ANC 🤣🤣🤣

[@drevil4454]

@@SbuAfrica dude, I know it is not your fault but your surname??? Cele??? Bad luck. You have my condolences.

[@oldtimereligion1stlady447]

Can't believe that is happening in SA

[@lanaberlin6861]

If you are above flood level, which I believe, then this was done deliberately. All is gonna go down for this land..the hourglass is caput...klaar, gedaan, koebaai Maraai!!!!

[@shafiyaalgiquadra1105]

For what purposes?

[@neelsmostert]

Very few houses in Loch Vall are above the flood line. Most are built within mere meters from the river banks. The 100 year floodline (which has been breached numerous times in the past 30 years) are far higher up. Although it is devastating for something like this to happen, most residents there know of the dangers and if they do take Rand Water to court, they will have to prove that their houses are above the flood lines. Rand water cannot just leave the Vaal dam straining, if the pressure is not relieved, then the dam wall could bust sweeping everything up to 500m from the river banks into the Orange river. Which would they prefer!?

[@sallyzachariah8913]

Acts 4:12, ESV: And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name than JESUS CHRIST, under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

[@claudiawiese5910]

Oh how devastating!!!

[@shamilamunsami1876]

Very sad ...our heart goes out these ppl ...

[@millyashby4629]

Because as a New Zealander we have never witnessed this kind of weather or storm so to me someone created it

[@suehowie152]

Yes,we did..

[@dorothywarner8141]

Yes. Arrogant people building below the flood line. People never learn

[@mazellehealth]

Your right someone has to pay ,

[@louisevanderlinde8590]

Sterkte met die opruiming en versekering.

[@amandavanzyl8160]

As in the Days of NOAH....SA we must Pray like never before'

[@S200103151]

New Zealand has just experienced the exact same thing (14/02/2023). The worst flooding in 100yrs with 1000's of ha of productive land decimated ands nearly 500 km of road wiped off the map, totally isolating many communities. Climate change is happening faster and faster and its high time we recognize and respond to this now. NZ has made climate change and subsequently building for the future its main priorities. Time the rest of the world does too. Thoughts to all those who are affected by this disaster, I can assure you I know exactly what that is like.

[@godsfavourite6134]

Last days taste like extra hot chillies, Lord be with us, 🙏🏾

[@gustabeumer688]

It is not the first time the vaal has flooded. February is the rainy season. They should have been prepared for this.

[@shacaycay06]

it’s very easy to comment on a video when you’re not the person that’s lost everything. the house featured in this video is my grandparents and they’ve had their house there for 30 years and not once has true water levels even been so high. how should one prepare for a flash flood, my grandparents lost everything they own and nearly their lives in 3 hours. how should you ever prepare for that?

[@maritascoonbee8285]

Easy to talk if you are not the one affected by this tragedy.

[@rikib1171]

Here in potchefstroom,I drove thru water on Sat and my car got damaged

[@Princelargo]

Lord have mercy 🙏🙏🙏

[@marieecott7124]

Amen 🙏🙏✝️ please keep praying for all 😢💔

[@gregory3768]

Unbelievable 🇿🇦😭😭

[@gerrykpotgieter8255]

I lived in Kosmos Hartbeespoort dam since the early 1960's. I was extremely aware of the 100 year flood beacon on my waterfront property. I am concerned that this principle of the estimated flood level guide seems not to have been adhered to downstream from the dam wall. I pray that all affected by this situation will survive by the grace of our creator. God bless with extreme empathy.

[@John5209]

If you ignore regulations and build below the 100 year flood line, whose fault is that?

[@shacaycay06]

john, please refrain from commenting if you don’t know the full story. these are my grandparents in this video and their house WAS NOT built below the 100 year flood line, this flood levels were actually higher than the 100 year flood line.

[@alicesuestuart9073]

That government should have to pay for what they did to those people business.

[@debbiesequeira6963]

I. Pray for the much needed help to reach our people. Asap.I KNOW LORD YOU ARE MERCIFUL to the helpless. Please everyone safe from further harm and danger.

[@amo022RSA]

When releasing the water do they even care about the bridges that might collapse with cars passing or people's lives and properties

[@bobbygabriel9574]

They allow building within the 50 year flood line.

[@suehowie152]

NZ commiserates with you..

[@elizaleroux9173]

"they see warnings as a joke". That's just sad and irresponsible.

[@frankagliottisnr3657]

Nobody can predict the heavy rain

[@anumanuva2431]

Reeeheeeaaallllyyyyy

[@razeyabanu2790]

This Floods are getting worse since 2022

[@chalice3571]

I have no clue where Vaal is ?

[@lauraelena118]

God will Bless and Restore. Amen.

[@babytee110]

May the God Lord be with you all 🙏🙏🙏🙏 my heart hoes to all of you

[@MartinusBoekhorst]

We are in the end of times, boet.

[@Tenshi_ZA]

Oh please grow up. It's bad but it's not the end. Of times

[@faf7714]

May God be with you and help you guys...

[@sallyzachariah8913]

Call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and save your soul before your death happens

[@rochellegutman8730]

It’s better to not own much and be trained in faith EMUNA with a personal close relationship with the Almighty. It’s time to change our definitions. So sorry for their pain. May they find consolation and hope in all this absolute chaos

[@kyliestorm_music]

Sad

[@studfinderball]

If you're looking for sympathy don't presume your viewer knows where the Vaal is. I do now. Tucson, AZ. USA

[@lucille7069]

Where is Vaal?

[@anumanuva2431]

Huge river and Dam, Gauteng province, south Africa

[@stampinturtles]

🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

[@kiimmaritz2827]

Mag die Here ons almal hier in Gauteng genadig wees

[@mollymontgomery8837]

Sad alrite that's what we going g through in New Zealand.God bless us all🙏🙏🙏🙏❤️

[@dorothywarner8141]

Odd. We have Another New Zealander saying the opposite . Go figure

[@hilarykhumalo6132]

Shame man iyooh that's really bad hey. So sad

[@vayleoswin7275]

Why doesn't the government help these people they are also South Africans,tax payers I feel for them tremendously some cannot even replace their goods very disappointing. Who can help them now only GOD AMEN 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏😢😢😢😢😢😢

[@bonganiemmanuel303]

Sibulawelani senzeni nathi siyakudinga ukuphila ANC Government nifuna senzeni ukuze siphile 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

[@jb3704]

Someone must be held responsible?? Are you serious?

[@shacaycay06]

yes, due to the lack of maintenance this should never have even taken place.

[@anumanuva2431]

Opening sluices too late was someone's job earlier....

[@sallyzachariah8913]

Jesus Christ is the ONE and ONLY Saviour of the entire universe

[@frankagliottisnr3657]

The only responsiblity is on yourself

[@shacaycay06]

??

[@shacaycay06]

the level of ignorance in this comment is astounding.

[@chalice3571]

Okay I think Africa

[@miguellopez9967]

Con la naturaleza no ay quin pueda nosotros mismo somos los destructores de muestro planeta. Por la visión de ser. Mejor que los demás. Mis bedisiomes para esa flia. Que no tienen. Recursos Miguel. De uruyay. 😍😍😍

[@kavithsayed2102]

Very sad Sir wht a disaster. Srry u had to grow through this. I .imagine.wht most of the residents are goin through. It's very disturbing and 😡 upsetting. Praying .non of u got injured..tke it easy.. find a place.frm the river..I dnt advice anyone to stay near the river. It's dangerous. U dnt know when the floods will.tke place and if it does there's too mch of damage caused. I feel urls pain 💔 and hurt.. sending our 🙌 blessings, love hope strenght to each one of u affected by the floods. Tke it easy. God loves url.

[@kiimmaritz2827]

Nou moet ons bid die damwal breek Nie....want dan....is daar Groot kak

[@saadialivoniafitzgerald2455]

Ag nee man😶die reent kan Nou regtig op hou seriously dis te veel man🥺

[@jabes-kb8di]

So bad

[@bevleighlange3312]

Well - not a thought was given to tge people downstream !! Typical- we all know there has been huge rain - it's the highest flood because the sluice gates were all opened ?? Right or wrong ?

[@sallyzachariah8913]

Luke 13 3 Jesus Christ said; " I, tell you, Nay: but, except ye arepent, ye shall all likewise bperish. 4 Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?

[@unconditionallove2735]

😭😭😭😭😭

[@coleengoodell7523]

Is grabbing and holding onto your um "junk" a normal response to stress there or did he really need to pee and wanted to finish the interview first? And just who is he going to hold responsible for this disaster? Mother nature? You built a luxury home or bought one, do you have insurance? I live in the US and we see our share of natural disasters. I don't think I've ever heard one person say that someone's got to pay for the loses. We come together in communities, we invest in FEMA and other organizations taxed and charitable to face natural disasters. And 9 times out of 10 those who survive are thanking God that they and their loved ones survived.

[@babratakundwa6369]

Aaaashame

[@V8ToYy]

looks like New Zealand currently, what is going on with the weather!

[@robertluiswilliams7189]

Landed in. Paradise. [new. Zealand. Circ. 1066. A. D. ] 🤕🗿🌏🗿🙌. 💀. 🧸

[@SonicAlcholic]

God blessed you with Huge house just pray to God

[@SonicAlcholic]

Ag cry you have a Huge house Nature happens don't Cry your generation owns everything so please don't

[@shacaycay06]

truly is no cure for stupidity is there. just because you have a big house doesn’t make this any less of a tragedy. that man is my grandfather and has worked hard his entire life, he was NEVER handed anything in his life so shut your fucking mouth

[@maritascoonbee8285]

Are you drunk?

[@carmendasilva600]

Go and play more online games. When you grow up one day maybe you will have something substantial to contribute to society.

[@SonicAlcholic]

@@carmendasilva600 at least I use my Brains unlike you

[@SonicAlcholic]

@@maritascoonbee8285 are you Jealous

[@esthergonsalves3103]

Sad