A DAM at South Africa’s abandoned Jagersfontein diamond mine collapsed early Sunday, triggering heavy flooding that damaged property and killed at least three people.
The disaster occurred in the diamond mining town of Jagersfontein at around 6:00 a.m. (0400 GMT), the government said, forcing officials to evacuate scores of residents to nearby farms.
About nine houses were swept away and more than 20 damaged by flood waters after the dam wall of the historic mine collapsed, Nathi Shabangu, a spokesman the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) said via SMS.
The mine in Free State province, formerly owned by De Beers Plc, was shut in the 1970s. The dam collapse also resulted in the loss of power in the small town of Jagersfontein, about 100 kilometers (62 miles) from Bloemfontein, the regional capital, and other nearby townships.
The government said in a statement that search and rescue efforts are
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