At 01h40 on Friday, 8 May, NSRI EOC (Emergency Operations Centre) and NSRI Oyster Bay duty crew were activated following reports of multiple people and animals trapped at Kingsway Resort on the Gamtoos River, near Jeffreys Bay, by rising water from heavy rainfall.
Additional calls, raising the alarm, were being received by emergency services control centres and Police stations.
All crew alerts to NSRI Gqeberha, NSRI Jeffreys Bay, NSRI St Francis Bay and an all crew alert to NSRI Oyster Bay, activated the stations to begin a coordinated response while the SA Police Services, EC Government Health EMS and Eastern Cape private ambulance services, DRM (Disaster Risk Management), Kouga Municipality, Kouga Fire and Rescue Services, Rescue SA, Police divers (WPDS – Water Policing and Diving Services), Police Search and Rescue and Police K9 Search and Rescue, Police Sea Borderline Control and the Police Air Wing were activated.
Reports suggested at least 40 persons and animals were trapped by rising waters at the Kingsway Resort and at homes and farmsteads in the neighbouring areas, with roadways out of the area flooded and inaccessible.
With the SAWS (SA Weather Services) category 8 orange weather warning in place and heavy rainfalls being experienced over the area, flooding of the Gamtoos River, through the Baviaanskloof valley, across Kouga Dam, through Patensie and down towards the Gamtoos River Mouth, between Jeffreys Bay and Gqeberha were reported.
The Kouga Dam had reportedly risen from around 40 per cent to an estimated 132 per cent in 12 hours, and Groot Rivier, also reportedly in flood, had caused flooding in the Patensie Valley and beyond towards the coast.
NSRI crews, Police and emergency services were geared to evacuate the affected persons and their animals to safety.
NSRI crew, in wetsuits, were able to reach approximately 1.6 kilometres from the affected area by road before resorting to wading and swimming along roadways to reach the area in an effort to obtain an accurate situation report.
3 NSRI rescue JetRIBS, from NSRI St Francis Bay, NSRI Jeffreys Bay and NSRI Gqeberha, were deployed with 15 NSRI rescue swimmers, NSRI CROCS (small floating canoes), along with SARZA (Search and Rescue South Africa), Police divers – with additional CROCS, Kouga Fire and Rescue Services, EMS rescue squads and a multitude of local Good Samaritans (who had come to assist) initiated a coordinated rescue operation.
Between the staging area and the affected resort, fast-flowing water prevented the CROCS from being used, forcing the rescue crews to use the NSRI rescue craft, JetRIBS.
The rescue operation was further hampered by farm fences surrounding the area and barely accessible terrain.
Evacuations commenced as NSRI JetRIBS brought people and their animals across sections of the flood area, negotiating fast-flowing water, at times shallow and at times deeper, and then transferring “casualties” to the CROCS for further transport to safety, with all services involved in the coordinated operation.
During the operation, water levels dropped, forcing the staging area to be moved.
As daylight arrived, a Police helicopter joined the operation, rescuing people at various stages while ground rescue operations continued.
At times, the Police helicopter brought “casualties” to areas where they could be further transported using the CROCS, the NSRI JetRIBS or waded to safety by rescue crews.
Paramedics were checking on the rescued people as they reached the staging area – no major injuries and no fatalities were reported.
Rescued persons and animals included the elderly, adults, children, dogs, cats, parrots and some livestock.
During the initial daylight hours, a new emergency alarm was raised for a household further upstream where a family were trapped on their roof. The NSRI Oyster Bay and NSRI St Francis Bay rescue vehicles, CROCS, SARZA personnel, Police divers, and NSRI rescue swimmers reached the family, which was safely evacuated.
During the operation, it was estimated that 60 people were at risk. In total, 49 people (the oldest aged 80 and the youngest 5) and (as yet undetermined) a number of animals were rescued, with at least an additional 15 people refusing to be relocated.
During the operation, the N2 Wind Farm Service Station supplied KFC, Steers, coffee, and soup to rescue crews and rescued persons. They are commended for their contribution.
The Kouga Mayor, Kouga Municipality, Fire Chief of Kouga Fire and Rescue Services with the Kouga Fire and Rescue Services team, SARZA, DRM (Disaster Risk Management), Police stations from around the area, Eastern Cape Police divers (WPDS), Police Search and Rescue, Police K9 Search and Rescue, Police Sea Borderline Control, the Police Air Wing, EC Government Health EMS and the local private ambulance services, local farmers (with their tractors and heavy machinery), locals in 4×4 vehicles, the Wind Farm Service Station and local community, Good Samaritans, are all commended for coming together to carry out the successful rescue operation during the night and during Friday.
Displaced people and animals are being assisted through a coordinated effort with the Municipality until it is safe to return.
Appeals are made to motorists and the public at large not to attempt to cross floodwaters and to be cautious during heavy rainfall and flooding.
We are appealing to the public to monitor SAWS (South African Weather Services) weather alerts and weather warnings, particularly with cold fronts expected over the coming weeks.
Thoughts and care are with those affected.
@NSRI
www.nsri.org.za