Many residents outside Carletonville, SA will soon have to evacuate because of huge growing sinkholes are swallowing up their properties and infrastructure.
The City plans to rehouse more than 25 000 residents.
Homes and streets have already been completely swallowed by the Earth. The stench from the broken sewer pipes is unbearable.
In some places, owners have abandoned their homes which continue to fall into the sinkholes bit by bit. Others fear that their houses are the next to collapse in the huge craters.
Officials say, 70% of Khutsong is not suitable for human habitation and over 25 000 families are expected to be relocated. The sinkholes are now being used as dumping sites with people throwing rubbish in it.
“We are trying to fill these sinkholes with garbage, hoping they won’t spread further. Many houses here are cracking and soon they will also be swallowed by sinkholes,” he said.
The situation is a nightmare
People have lost hope in their local municipality and called on it to replace old infrastructure underground, which was believed to be causing the sinkholes.
Geologists warned municipality officials about the sinkholes about ten years ago, but nothing has been done to prevent them yet.
Some leaders said the Merafong City Municipality was waiting for people to die inside their homes before replacing the old sewer and water pipes underground:
“They kept the geological settings of the neighborhood secret and did nothing about it. They thought that these sinkholes were not going to spread. Unfortunately, they are growing worse now and are eating our homes.“
I hope they won’t have a heavy rain season, because the sinkhole dangers and risks are going to grow exponentially. More geology news on Strange Sounds and Steve Quayle. [News24]
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