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The Western Cape’s Disaster Management Centre has offered its support following the ongoing storm in the Southern Cape and the Garden Route by initiating a Joint Operations Committee (JOC) on Monday, November 22 to assist those residents affected.

According to reports heavy flooding and some storm damage continue to be reported following heavy rainfall overnight that is continuing in the region. Provincial Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, Anton Bredel has urged people living and travelling in affected regions to be aware of the weather conditions and to limit travelling and being outdoors as much as possible.

“We are aware of severe localised flooding, strong running water and difficult driving conditions across the region with George particularly impacted. Several clinics have been affected and there are reports of some localised flooding at the George Mediclinic which is being attended to. Driving may be particularly hazardous on rural gravel roads. If possible, stay indoors and off the roads and avoid crossing rivers and swollen streams,” Bredell said.

Also read: WATCH: Heavy rain continues to wreak havoc in George

Disaster Management spokesperson for the Eden District, Wouter Jacobs told Cape{town} etc that currently all the municipalities within the district is busy with mopping up operations after several suburban roads were affected by the flooding.

“We have got several major passes that are still closed, like the Swartberg pass and the Montague pass that is still closed. All our national roads are open after we did some intervention when we mechanically breached the Touws river and the Swartvlei river’s estuaries,” Jacobs explained.

Jacobs said the department of education closed 10 schools as a precautionary, while matriculants were able to go on with their matric exams, however several medical facilities, public and private facilities were closed down due to flooding.  Jacobs went on to say that out of all seven municipalities in the Garden Route, George was affected the most as the total rainfall was measured at 160.0mm.

“With regards to the roads, the situation is still being assessed. We were promised that we will have an assessment of the road infrastructure by Friday,” Jacobs indicated.

In the meantime, the humanitarian organisation Gift of the Givers has also stepped in to assist the people in the areas that have been affected by heavy rains and flooding. The organisation’s Dr Imtiaz Sooliman indicated that the areas such as George, Oudtshoorn, Mossel Bay, Bitou, Kannaland, Hessequa and Knysna would receive assistance, IOL reported.

Meanwhile, the South African Weather Service has alerted the province that adverse weather conditions including thundershowers and further rainfall may be expected to continue across large parts of the Western Cape until the weekend.

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Picture: Facebook/George Herald

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