The Eastern Cape experienced wild weather conditions on the weekend, which caused power cuts, accidents, and road closures. Heavy downpours, gale force winds, and rockfalls all took their toll on the province, and at least 11 people were killed — including two babies in hospital who died during a power-blackout.
Provincial transport spokesperson Tsepo Machaea said over 100 road accidents
were reported over the weekend.
”Because of the rains the accidents were worse. Drivers did not observe the following distance”.
Several roads had to be closed due to rockfalls and floods which disrupted traffic, said Machaea.
The N10 between Cradock and Middleburg was closed, as well as Barkly Pass near Elliot and Penjoek Pass outside Queenstown.
There were rockfalls on the Brooksnek, Nico Malan Pass and Kei Cuttings.
Eskom’s infrastructure was badly damaged and several towns were without power for a large part of the weekend.
Eskom spokesperson Lettitia Ndema said technical teams sent out to restore the power supply were delayed because of the continued bad weather and slippery roads.
Areas affected were Libode, Tsolo, Ngqeleni, Port St Johns, Magwa Tea Estate and surrounding villages as well as Colesburg, Aliwal North, Queenstown, Uitenhage, King Williams Town and Adelaide.
On the Transkei Wild Coast 18 hikers had to be airlifted by helicopter when they got stranded between two rivers swollen by rain.
An emergency services official at Port St John’s said roofs at some houses were blown off and trees uprooted during the strong winds and rains.
Other areas in the province reported floods and snowfalls.
A tourism expo was cancelled when the marquee at a Buffalo City casino got washed out on Friday night.
Five centimetres of snow fell at the Tiffindell Alpine Retreat
East London had the highest rainfall, according to the Port Elizabeth weather bureau, with 155 millimetres of rain between 8am on Friday until 8am on Sunday.
Other towns with heavy downpours were: Bisho 106mm, Grahamstown 78mm, Mthatha 120mm, Barkly East 66mm, Ft Beaufort 73mm, Elliot 67mm, Jamestown 79mm and Middleburg 82mm.
Meteorologist William Mfimanga said it would be partly cloudy with no rain forecast for the next few days. – Sapa