A week of cold and wet: it’s raining, it’s pouring
Georgians knew it was coming.
Warnings of heavy rains have reached the communities since last weekend, when areas around Cape Town were hit by gale force winds and rain. Our turn came early Tuesday morning, when sleepyheads were woken by the incredible noise of falling rain.
By 09:00 on Tuesday 9 April, 105mm of rain had been measured at the Garden Route Botanical Garden and 180mm at the Buffelskop catchment area for the Touw River, over a 24-hour period. The Garden Route Dam reached maximum capacity and was overflowing by 08:00 on Tuesday.
Heavy rains caused flooding at the Ebb & Flow campsite (Garden Route National Park) with over 200mm of rain measured over a six-hour period, coupled with a spring high tide.
Residents living along the Touw River reported flooding at Pirate's Creek and
Die Duin, following a delay in the opening of the river mouth. SANParks opened the river mouth early on Tuesday, reads a statement released by George Municipality.
In Anchorage Lane, Wilderness, several homes were flooded. Flooding also occurred at the Civil Engineering Services depot and water treatment works at Wilderness. The damage is being assessed by the department. A tree that had fallen on the water treatment works building has been removed.
Mop-up operations continued throughout Tuesday.
Further damage
In the George municipal area, 24 residential homes reported flooding, including
the partial collapse of a structure in Herold. About 25 people were evacuated in Blanco and housed in the Blanco Community Hall. They have since returned to their homes. Residents of a flooded home in Uniondale were temporarily accommodated in Lyonville Community Hall. Up with Downs School in Blanco and VGK Primary School in Geelhoutboom have reported being affected by flooding.
Closures
By Tuesday afternoon, Die Vleie Road was still closed due to high water levels. Camphersdrift Road, CJ Langenhoven Street, Hope Street, King George Road and the Outeniqua Pass were closed for short periods, while both Meiringspoort and Swartberg Pass were closed for most of Tuesday due to rainy weather and flooding.
On home ground, parents waited on news from the schools early Tuesday morning to ascertain whether they had to pack lunch boxes or keep the children at home.
Outeniqua Primary is one of many schools that decided to close for the day, since their school grounds and roads around the school were waterlogged. George South Primary, Outeniqua High and York High kept their doors open, although many learners opted to stay home.
George Disaster Management Services advised all road users to drive with caution on Tuesday, with several roads semi-flooded in the town and outskirts.
Phone numbers: after-hours and emergencies (044 801 6300); toll-free disaster number (087 152 9999); fire emergencies (044 801 6311).