About 70 people have been rescued in 55 operations since Sunday, according to the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI). It has been confirmed that 500 people had been evacuated from low-lying areas and informal settlements in Kariega, Blue Horizon Bay and Seaview, which are the most affected areas. Six people have been reported dead and there is still one missing after the flooding that gripped the eastern cape during the weekend.
In one incident, a man was recovered safely from an island in the Brak River after a vehicle with six occupants was trapped in the floodwaters. “An adult female was swept away and is still missing, while the remaining four of these six people were recovered safely on the southern side of the river,” reported the NSRI.
A yellow level 6 warning with predictions of strong winds, snowfalls and flooding in parts of the Western Cape, KwaZulu Natal, Northern Cape and the Eastern Cape was issued by the South African Weather Services over the weekend.
People who reside in the affected areas are being evacuated and placed in places like schools although some residents are resisting as they are worried about their belongings. The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality is carrying out the rescue operations with the aid of Gift of the Givers, Rescue South Africa, the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI), the South African National Defense Force and many more, just to mention a few.
Watch the following video to see the damage that has been caused by these floods: