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The remains of building destroyed by floods.
Over the past few months, the Eastern Cape has been battered by extreme weather conditions that have left thousands displaced and still scrambling to rebuild their homes.
These weather conditions included dry and windy conditions that fuelled widespread fires that ravaged through the Kouga Municipality and the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro.
And most recently, a winter storm that saw people look back into history to compare. Again the Kouga region was hit hard but also Koukamma and the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro.
Farmers and residents across the KouKamma and Kouga municipal areas are now counting the losses as mop up operations continue.
The flames that swept across the western half of the Eastern Cape brought widespread devastation.
People and resources were stretched to breaking point.
Kouga Municipality Mayor, Hattingh Bornman, says authorities struggled to get to all the flashpoints and once air support was added to the effort, control was re-established.
“So, we started the year off with fires and it had a huge impact, especially on the farming communities in terms of grazing land. We had a few houses that were also destroyed, but we were able to stop it from being a complete disaster because we were able to stop it from entering our towns and any formal housing areas,” says Bornman.
The fire caused large scale damage, especially to the farming sector.
But it also drew communities together.
The Gamtoos River in flood was the most visual representation of the deluge that hit the area last week.
More than 40 people had to be rescued from a riverside resort.
The well-known Ferry Hotel was also flooded.
In the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro, more than 3 000 people were displaced by the rain.
The flooding also caused water and power outages across the metro.
“We are not afraid of the rain, but we are afraid of the damage it causes to our houses. Just hear down the road the roof was destroyed in that house, we stay up all night worried and scooping water out of our homes. My place is flooded. The water has reached the level of my bed. We had no choice, but to come to the sports centre. We met with our councillor, who told us to get our things and come back. This situation is traumatising.”
