WATCH Rivers and Taps Flow Again in Some Drought-Affected Parts of South Africa

After heavy rains falling in the Southern Cape and Little Karoo over the past week, dried-up rivers have come back to life and started flowing again… answering prayers and bringing welcome relief to farmers and residents in the region.

At Herbertsdalenear Mossel Bay, relieved residents are able to use water from their taps again, after spending the last few weeks having to fetch water from tanks, according to SABC News in the Western Cape.

It’s thanks to the Langtou River which is flowing again, after being dry for three years. However this past weekend residents still had to fetch their water from tanks… but water is finally flowing out of household taps again as the town’s reservoirs are filling up.

Community leader, Kevin Julies, told the SABC: “We are very blessed with this rain. Thankful for the rain. All our reservoirs are full at the moment and we still busy saving water because we don’t know how long the water is going to last.”

For farmers, the recent rains have meant so much to them for the sake of their animals. For many the last few years have been tough without enough grazing for animals. Some had to sell, or even temporarily give away, their animals in a bid to keep them alive.

As the heavens opened, the farmers have rejoiced. Farmer Freek Muller told the SABC: “There’s water again. The water in the rivers is a source for life.”

According to SABC News, dams in the Little Karoo and Southern Cape have made a remarkable recovery –

• in Oudtshoorn, the Raubenheimer Dam increased from under 40 percent to more than 48 percent full
• the Wolwedans Dam at Mossel Bay increased from 43 percent last week to more than 68 percent full this week

WATCH VIDEO Rivers flow again in drought-ravaged spots in South Africa

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