There appeared to be little relief in sight for the rain-sodden Eastern Cape, with the whole province on high alert as heavy rains continued, disaster management said on Thursday.
Disaster Management’s Captain John Fobian said warnings had been issued all over the province from the Fish River to Port Elizabeth. While rain had subsided in East London, he said there were warnings of heavy falls from Kei Mouth and all along the west coast.
Kei Mouth resident Joan Hill told the South African Press Association they had had well over 100mm of rain in the past 48 hours. She said gravel roads between the houses were washing away, with huge dongas forming in the roads.
The main bathing beach from the Kei River to Cwili River had almost washed away, and was lined with flotsam.
”It is awful, and it is certainly going to affect holidaymakers.”
Hill said the nearby Cwili township had been much worse affected, with their roads ”churned into muddy cesspools”.
Across the river in the Transkei, residents were also badly affected.
Fobian said damage assessment was under way in the Transkei where some schools and houses had collapsed.
”There are lots of road closures and we are monitoring rivers and dams that are overflowing,” said Fobian. ”All emergency services are on high alert for the weather.”
Fobian said people had been asked not to cross bridges over swollen rivers.
Meanwhile, provincial traffic spokesperson Tshepo Machaea warned motorists to be extra cautious, especially in rural areas where roads had been badly affected.
The Eastern Cape and surrounding areas have been battered by heavy rains since September.
In Flagstaff, one person drowned last week after being swept away by strong currents. In the same week a 12-year-old girl died in the Transkei after a rain-soaked wall collapsed on her. — Sapa