More than 1100 residents were evacuated following floods in Gqeberha and Kariega.
At least six people have died following heavy downpours which resulted in high water levels and severe flooding in parts of Gqeberha and Kariega at the weekend.
Among those killed was 18-year-old woman from Kabah, Kariega whose body was found in Kamesh as well as a 62-year-old man also in Kariega.
While in KwaNobuhle four people died including a three-year-old girl, a 47-year-old-man, 62-year-old-man and a 41-year-old man.
The storm which hit the Nelson Mandela Bay municipal areas on Saturday night into Sunday saw widespread devastation including infrastructure damage, loss of life, a number of people reported missing and injured, a fire station submerged, vehicles washed away, with major risk to low-lying houses.
More than 1100 residents were evacuated and relocated to places of safety.
According to a resident from Kabah who lost their home in the floods, they were sleeping when a family member woke up to the sounds of the water and alerted them.
“It was so fast, in one go everything was gone, we had just gotten out of the house.”
“One girl was sleeping on a couch, before she could get out she was washed away by the water. We are devastated. We lost everything, our home, clothes, furniture, I am traumatised,” a mother of three from Kabah said.
The adverse conditions also resulted in power outages in large parts across the metro.
@capetimessa At least six people have died following heavy downpours in Kariega at the weekend. #easterncapefloods #news #weather ♬ original sound - CapeTimesSA
Two Joint Operations Centres were activated in Gqeberha and Kariega. According to the Nelson Mandela Bay municipality, the SANDF also deployed a helicopter to help assess and access inaccessible areas. Gift of the Givers and Rescue South Africa came on board to support search and rescue operations.
With the South African Weather Services alert remaining at orange level 6 projecting more than 50 mm of rain overnight, the municipality’s Joint Operations Centre remained in place on Sunday.
Nelson Mandela Bay mayor Gary Van Niekerk said investigations into missing people continued.
“I am especially concerned since the number of fatal incidents is increasing. The investigations into missing residents, related to the severe weather conditions, are still continuing. In those cases, we are hoping for the best, but persistent rainfall will make the work of our emergency teams even more difficult.
“Besides a number of flooded and closed roads, I would like to remind motorists that there are also damaged road surfaces, especially in the Kariega area, that can potentially damage their vehicles. We are calling on residents to rather stay indoors and avoid exposure to the weather conditions to the best of their abilities,” Van Niekerk said.
Gift of the Givers founder Dr Imtiaz Sooliman said their teams in East London and Gqeberha would be supported by team members from Cape Town, George and Adelaide with emergency supplies already being loaded at these centres, while additional items will be procured locally.
“Support from the head office in Pietermaritzburg, if needed, will be dispatched. We are busy arranging warehousing in the various centres,” Sooliman said.
Cape Times