Laingsburg

Laingsburg is a town located in the Western Cape province in South Africa. Laingsburg is situated along the N1 route, in the Great Karoo, a semi-desert region of South-Africa. The main water supply is the Buffels River. Laingsburg's economy is mainly based on farming of goats, sheep, lucerne (Alfalfa), fruit and vegetables.

Area

The area where the town stands was initially a farm named Vischkuil-aan-de-Buffelsrivier (fishing pond on the Buffalo River). With railway access, a town soon began developing. It was initially renamed Nassau to avoid confusion with Buffalo River in East London, and finally changed to the name Laingsburg, after John Laing who was Commissioner of Crown Lands at the time.

Centennial

On 25 January 1981, in Laingsburg's centennial year, the largest part of the town was swept away within minutes by one of the strongest floods ever experienced in the Great Karoo. After a cloud burst to the north-eastern hinterland, south of the Komsberg, a massive wall of water rushed down the Buffels River and swept away everything it encountered in its way. Animals, humans and their possessions were swept along and later dumped under meters of silt. Archaeologists estimate that such a freak flood can only occur once every 100 years.

Flood

Before the flood, rain initially started with a light drizzle that was welcomed by farmers in the area, since it didn't rain often. But, the soil of the area is of such a nature that it can't absorb much rainwater. The consequence is that water drains directly into the rivers. Water built up in both the Baviaans and Buffels Rivers and their confluence at the little town. The rivers quickly grew from normally small streams to a roaring wall of water almost 6 m high. Within hours the whole town was under water and residents had to fight for their lives.