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Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality says search and rescue teams are still looking for a 20-year-old person who was washed away near Dawn in East London during the heavy weekend downpour.
City spokesperson, Samkelo Ngwenya, said in an update on Monday afternoon that a woman was knocked down and killed in a street in West Bank over the weekend, while a 13-year-old who was reported missing in Amalinda Forest was found alive.
He said the city was intervening in areas impacted by the floods, with the number of people affected now being 1300.
"Displaced residents have been accommodated in community halls in Mdantsane, Braelyn and Mzamomhle, whilst others are being moved to chalets, old age homes and temporary housing structures.
"11 wards across the Metro have been affected including areas like Ducats, Pefferville, Duncan Village, Cambridge Location, Mzamomhle, Reeston, Stoney Drift, Mdantsane and Gompo.
"Rescue operations are continuous as emergency teams remain on high alert," Ngwenya said.
BUFFALO CITY METRO INTERVENING IN AFFECTED AREAS AS NUMBERS OF DISPLACED RISES TO 1300
— Buffalo City Metro Municipality (@OfficialBCMM) June 3, 2024
The Buffalo City Metro is intervening in areas that have been impacted by floods as the number has now risen to 1300. pic.twitter.com/E30UG6FVbf
He said some of the rescue operations undertaken included the evacuation of six people, including an 80-year-old, from a flooded home where "sadly two dogs" drowned.
Ngwenya said at various locations trapped people were assisted from residences, buildings, and vehicles during 10 search and rescue operations.
The NSRI also assisted in operations in the harbour where a jetty collapsed and a yacht sank.
Ngwenya said BCM's storm water system came under severe strain but said after the Disaster Management Service conducted an initial damage assessment, the City's Infrastructure, Traffic, and Fire & Rescue Services were instrumental in unblocking and clearing blocked drains.
BCM said it was also engaging with the Department of Human Settlements to avail temporary relocation structures, and thus far "800 temporary structures are being verified to be included in the database."
"The Metro is also working with the Department of Social Development, with NGOs Gift of the Givers and Living Hope to assist with clothes, groceries, blankets and food parcels," Ngwenya said.
