Residents along Gamtoos River urged to evacuate as water levels rise

Not even a month after the Gamtoos area flooded, leaving extensive damage in its wake, residents in the low-lying areas along the river have once again been warned to evacuate.

Rainfall battered the Kouga area and parts of Nelson Mandela Bay on Wednesday, with further rain expected throughout the night.

Kouga municipality mayor Hattingh Bornman said in an urgent message via social media on Wednesday night that officials were once again appealing to residents in the low-lying areas of the Gamtoos River to evacuate.

“Good evening residents, I am afraid I have some bad news,” he said, adding that the river levels were rising much faster than anticipated. “We cannot afford any casualties and are therefore asking residents to evacuate.”

Bornman said they would continue to monitor the situation in the Kromme River area and, while it was currently safe, he urged residents to rather evacuate should things deteriorate or if they felt unsafe.

The Thornhill sports field clubhouse has been made available to those with nowhere else to go.

Bornman said those displaced would be welcomed with something warm to eat and a place to sleep.

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