Several homes and roads were submerged as floodwaters swept through the Kuyga informal settlement area, leaving residents stranded and infrastructure severely disrupted.
Low-lying sections of Nelson Mandela Bay were particularly hard hit, with water levels rising rapidly throughout Tuesday night.
On Wednesday morning, a brief break from the rain gave residents an opportunity to step outside and attempt to dry soaked blankets and mattresses.
Due to schools being closed, children were running around and playing in some of the flooded streets while families whose homes were flooded gathered around a fire in a drum to keep themselves warm.
Resident Fundiswa Petersen spent the morning using a bucket to empty water out of her home.
“There is water all around my house and inside my house.
“We woke up in the night and our beds were in the water, we were very scared. All my rooms are flooded.
“You can’t sleep like that, there is electricity and fridges and that makes the water dangerous. You can get shocked if you stand in that water.
“We had to move to someone else’s house to escape from the rain.”
Petersen said that her home flooded every time there was heavy rainfall, but Tuesday night’s downpour was particularly devastating.
She said her home was situated in a low-lying section of Kuyga, making it particularly vulnerable to flooding, as rainwater collected and settled in the area.
She said the standing water often remained for several days after heavy rainfall, prolonging the disruption and making it difficult for residents.
“There is no way for me to remove the water from my house, I must wait until Monday or Tuesday and then the water will be out.
“My furniture is all damaged.”
The Nelson Mandela Bay municipality urged residents to:
- Avoid crossing flooded roads, bridges, and low-lying areas;
- Secure property and move valuables to higher ground;
- Follow official communication channels for updates;
- Report emergencies immediately using the following numbers: 041-585-1555 (Emergency Call Centre) and 079-490-0480 (WhatsApp for risks and incidents)
Residents in high-risk areas are advised to co-operate with evacuation instructions should they be issued.
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