A family from Rietspruit in Lochvaal had to be rescued by helicopter on Saturday 16 January 2021 after flooding in the area. Picture: Shane Pretorius
There was pandemonium in the Lochvaal area on Saturday morning as family of four was left trapped in their house with their pets.
The Kroonvaal dam wall reportedly burst following heavy rains on Friday evening, leading to flooding along the Rietspruit, the Vaalweekblad reports.
While emergency services were on the scene, the elderly members of the family could not make it through the strong water.
At the same time, jet skis and boats could not reach the scene due to obstacles below the water level.
While nine dogs were rescued, the family had to sit tight and wait for the arrival of a military helicopter.
The helicopter arrived at around 11:30 and the family was successfully rescued.
Meanwhile, the SA Weather Service has issued severe thunderstorm warnings for a large part of northern KwaZulu-Natal.
This stretches from Volksrust and Newcastle to Richard’s Bay and Ponta do Ouro.
A severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for large parts of KwaZulu-Natal for Saturday, 16 January 2021. Picture: SA Weather Service
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