Thamsanqa Mbovane-GroundUp
Hundreds of families across Nelson Mandela Bay have sought shelter in churches and community halls after their homes were badly flooded on Monday night. Essential infrastructure is badly damaged. Several main roads in Kariega and Gqeberha have washed away.
Schools and some factories in affected communities were also closed for the day.
On Tuesday morning, we found scores of people and children from Lapland informal settlement in ward 45 walking in the pouring rain to neighbouring communities because their shacks were badly waterlogged.
Residents carried satchels and plastic bags filled with their belongings and whatever food they could carry.
“We woke up at about 5 am on Tuesday and my shack was filled with water. We had to flee.
This is the second time since June that we have been hit by floods like this,” said Marshall Kerby, a concerned father. “We did not heal from the June flood. We lost everything again that we tried to recover planks, zincs and furniture,” he said.
His neighbour, Johnson Williams, said about six police vans had helped to transport them to a church in the nearby Gamble community. “I stay with five children in my shack. We lost all our belongings to the flood. We are about 500 people in Lapland.”
On Tuesday, the municipality’s Electricity and Energy Directorate said, “In light of the recent flooding in and around the metro, we urge all customers experiencing house flooding to switch off the main switches on their distribution boards as a precautionary measure. This action will help eliminate the risk of possible electrocution.”
The municipality added that areas worst affected by the storm included Lapland, Motherwell, Ibhayi, Vastrap, and Jubilee Park, among others.
“As a relief measure, residents have been moved to Sunshine School, Missionvale Care Centre and the UCC Church. NMBM’s Disaster Management Directorate will be moving residents from Lapland to Tambo Hall, residents from Veeplaas and Soweto will be moved to Veeplaas Community Hall, and residents from Soweto and Salamntu will be moved to Soweto Community Hall.
“Residents will be provided with mattresses, blankets and soup whilst mop-up operations continue. Gift of the Givers, Shoprite, NHC Nama Royal House, Al-Imdaad Foundation and SASCO Pepsi Co have donated warm meals that will go to residents who have been moved to the evacuation halls.”
This story first appeared in @GroundUp and is republished with permission.
