VIDEO | Rescue teams work to free residents trapped in Gamtoos Valley flood

Emergency workers are hard at work in the Gamtoos Valley, where about 40 people were trapped after the river overflowed.

Resident Garth Johnson, who resides in Kingsway with his wife, said they received the evacuation notice via WhatsApp at about 2.30pm on Thursday.

“Authorities were urging residents to evacuate. We then made the call at about 3.30pm to pack up and leave Kingsway,” Johnson said.

He said they had taken a drive towards the Gamtoos Ferry Hotel, which is now submerged in water, and he was shocked at what he saw.

“You could just see the volume of water coming down about to hit the river. I have lived here for a long time and have never seen something quite like this. Some residents decided to stick it out. They said they would stay and measure where the water came up.

“When I phoned [for an update on Friday morning], I was told it had come through the park, so all the houses are under water, including mine. I have not been able to get there to see the damage for myself, but I am quite sure it is devastating.”

The road was blocked last night so we couldn’t get out. My house is flooded and they had to evacuate us by boat. The water has gone down a bit since but it is still bad.”

—  Resident

Johnson said he had owned the property for 17 years.

Another resident, who did not want to give his name, said: “The road was blocked last night so we couldn’t get out. My house is flooded and they had to evacuate us by boat. The water has gone down a bit since but it is still bad.”

Rescue workers at the scene said everyone who agreed to be evacuated was now safe.

Kouga mayor Hattingh Bornman said in an interview with eNCA it was a tragic situation but that the National Sea Rescue Institute, police divers and other entities were in the area to assist those who were now trapped after refusing to evacuate.

“They are doing an incredible job. We have two rubber ducks on the water and quite a few row boats trying to get to people,” he said.

At about 10am, Bornman said they had just heard that the first four people rescued were on their way out. He believed there were about 40 people still stranded in the Kingsway area along the river.

The mayor said the Kromrivier was also flooded.

This is a developing story.

Follow The Herald WhatsApp channel today and stay connected to the stories shaping our world.

The Herald