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Seven die in floods in Nelson Mandela Bay Metro

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A taxi on Taylor Street in central Kariega was swept away by the flood waters

Seven people died and more than a thousand people had to be evacuated to safety after flooding in Nelson Mandela Bay Metro on the weekend.

Houses, roads, bridges and vehicles were damaged or swept away. The electricity and water supply was also affected and has not been fully restored to some residents GroundUp spoke to on Monday morning.

Maria Jaggers, of Durban Street, said she found some of her roof sheeting 200 metres away from her house in Taylor Street. “Everything has been destroyed. I don’t know where to get money … I am a poor person,” said Jaggers.

Franklin Jacobs of Despatch had a lucky escape after his minibus taxi plunged into the Brak River in KwaNobuhle. It was around 5am and the entire area’s lights were out. He could not have known that the bridge he was on had become a deathtrap.

“I just heard a huge bang before the vehicle plunged into the river … I thought that I was going to die.”

He said water gushed into the vehicle making it difficult to escape, but by using his legs he managed to force his way out. He did not sustain serious injuries but his vehicle is severely damaged. Fortunately, he was not carrying any passengers at the time.

The bridge on Matanzima Road over the Brak River collapsed.

“I have never experienced such a disaster in my entire life,” said Raees Korkee, of Van der Riet Street, Kariega. “The rain was so fast that in less than three minutes the entire house had been flooded. We couldn’t find a place to hide. We were just praying that we survive.”

“Things like gates, fences, electricity pylons, boulders and large trees were just being swept away. It was like a nightmare.”

Korkee was astounded by the damage. He had only recently refurbished his house. His storeroom was also destroyed and his two vehicles damaged when they were swept down the street.

Zarier Sirkhotte, of Taylor Street, Kariega, who is the head of sports at Daniel Pienaar Technical High, said, “We tried to go out but the doors could not open. We even tried to hide in every corner in the house, but it was all in vain.”

The Sirkhotte family finally climbed through the ceiling of their house to escape the flood waters.

City spokesperson Sithembiso Soyaya said, “All emergency services are currently conducting search and rescue operations. The South African National Defence Force has deployed a helicopter to help assess and access inaccessible areas. We appeal to all residents to remain vigilant and to listen to regular weather updates, postpone travel arrangements until it is safer to travel and avoid crossing rivers and swollen streams.”

Mayor Gary van Niekerk pleaded with residents to assist each other. “We must therefore come together as a community to assist those in need of a warm blanket and a plate of food,” he said.

He said a number of people had been reported missing.

“We are hoping for the best and preparing for the worst as the South African Weather Services predicts more heavy rain overnight,” he said.

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