- Residents of Kouga informal settlements were evacuated, with the municipality providing blankets, mattresses and meals in community halls.
- Multiple roads and bridges were closed due to flooding, sinkholes and rockfalls, with power outages also reported in Nelson Mandela Bay.
- Authorities have warned that flooded crossings pose a serious danger to life, with several key routes closed pending safe water level assessments.
Heavy rains battered the Eastern Cape’s Sarah Baartman District and Nelson Mandela Bay on Wednesday, forcing evacuations from flooded informal settlements and closing several roads and bridges.
Authorities urged residents to seek shelter in community halls and warned motorists to stay off flooded roads, as sinkholes, rockfalls, and dangerously high water levels posed serious risks.
On Thursday, Kouga Mayor Hattingh Bornman appealed to residents in the flooded areas to move to safer community halls.
Bornman, who visited the Oceanview informal settlement on Thursday morning, said the municipality had prepared blankets, mattresses, and meals to assist flood victims.
“Please make sure that you evacuate to our community halls,” Bornman said.
The mayor also appealed to motorists to take precautions when driving around Kouga.
“We need to make sure that we keep motorists off our roads. We have had some sinkholes and rockfalls. Our teams are working extremely hard to make sure that we get our roads clean,” said Bornman.
The Kingsway Village in the Gamtoos area, also in Kouga, was asked to evacuate on Wednesday night due to heavy rains.
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One of the roads closed on Thursday morning was a bridge on the R331 in Patensie, which was inaccessible and closed due to flooding.
The R330 route on the Humansdorp side was closed to all traffic until further notice.
The Weston Bridge also remained closed due to high water levels and unsafe crossing conditions.
“Members of the public are urged to avoid these areas and make use of alternative routes where possible. Motorists are reminded that attempting to cross flooded roads or bridges poses a significant risk to life and property,” the municipality said in a statement.
“Municipal teams are continuously monitoring the situation. Roads will only be reopened once water levels have lowered, and it is confirmed that conditions are safe for public use.
“We appeal to all road users to exercise extreme caution, adhere to all road closure signage, and follow instructions issued by emergency services and traffic officials. The safety of our residents remains our highest priority.”
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Eastern Cape Department of Transport spokesperson Unathi Binqose said the R102 between Gqeberha and Jeffreys Bay was closed to traffic due to rockfalls.
“The route serves as an important alternative and parallel route to the N2, linking Gqeberha, the Gamtoos Valley, Humansdorp and Jeffreys Bay,” he added.
Binqose said the R332 into the Baviaanskloof Nature Reserve had also been closed following heavy flooding.
In Nelson Mandela Bay, authorities urged motorists and residents to exercise caution as several roads have been affected by flooding and traffic disruptions following heavy rains on Wednesday.
The affected areas included the 3rd Avenue dip in Newton Park, which remained flooded and closed to traffic.
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Flooding also affected sections of the M4 Settlersway, behind the North End area.
“Residents are urged to avoid flooded roads and low-lying areas. Do not attempt to drive or walk through flooded crossings, as water levels can rise rapidly and pose a serious danger,” Nelson Mandela Bay municipality said on Thursday morning.
Several areas remained without power in the Nelson Mandela Bay area due to damage to infrastructure caused by the severe weather.
Meanwhile, the Eastern Cape Department of Education instructed schools in the Sarah Baartman, Nelson Mandela Bay, and Buffalo City districts to close on Wednesday and Thursday due to heavy downpours.
But some schools in areas unaffected by flooding remained open on Thursday.
Meanwhile, parts of the Central Karoo and Garden Route in the Western Cape have been hit by heavy rainfall, leading to flooding and road closures.
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According to the South African Weather Service (SAWS), rainfall of 50-100 mm has been recorded across the Central Karoo, while some areas in the eastern Garden Route have received up to 200 mm since Wednesday. Rainfall is expected to continue throughout the day, with conditions beginning to clear later on Thursday.
The N1 is currently closed at Leeu Gamka due to flooding, with no safe alternative route available at this stage.
Molteno Pass, between Beaufort West and Loxton, remains closed, while sections of the R328 towards the Cango Caves and Welbedacht Road in Oudtshoorn have been closed due to weather-related damage.
Rockfalls have been reported on the R324 at Tradouw Pass and on sections of the N12. Localised flooding has also been recorded in Seweweekspoort, where response teams continue to closely monitor conditions.
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Dams in both the Central Karoo and Garden Route districts are currently overflowing, while rivers remain full or in flood. The Keurbooms River, presently flowing at 133 cubic metres per second, is being closely monitored by authorities.
Eskom reported persistent power outages in parts of the Garden Route, including Harkerville and Covie in the Bitou municipal area, as well as Sedgefield and Karatara in Knysna. Eskom and municipal teams continue to work on restoring the electricity supply to affected communities.
Sithandiwe Velaphi
www.news24.com