South Africa Under Water! Catastrophic Flooding Swept Away Homes, Cars in Gamtoos

Added: 2026-05-09

[00:00:01]Yeah.

[00:00:08]Emergency teams in the eastern Cape rescued 49 people and several animals after rising flood waters trapped residents around Kingsway Resort on the Gamus River near Jeffres Bay. The response began at 1:40 on Friday the 8th of May when NSRI EOC Emergency Operations Center and the NSRI Oyster Bay duty crew were activated following reports that multiple people and animals were trapped by rising water from heavy rainfall.

[00:00:39]Additional emergency calls were received by control centers and police stations as conditions worsened. All crew alerts were sent to NSRI Gabberha, NSRI Jeffre Bay, NSRI St. Francis Bay, and NSRI Oyster Bay. No.

[00:00:56]>> The SA Police Services, EC Government Health, EMS, Eastern Cape, Private Ambulance Services, DRM, Disaster Risk Management, Cougar Municipality, Cougar Fire and Rescue Services, Rescue SA, Police Divers, WWPDS, Water Policing and Diving Services, Police Search and Rescue, Police K9 Search and Rescue, Police C Borderline Control, and the Police Airwing were also Alo activated. Initial reports suggested at least 40 people and animals were trapped at Kingsway Resort and at nearby homes and farmsteads with roads out of the area flooded and inaccessible. The wider flood zone stretched through the Bavian Cloak Valley across Couga Dam through Patenzi and down toward the Gamtus River mouth between Jeffre Bay and Cabera.

[00:01:49]Rescue teams estimated that 60 people were at risk during the operation.

[00:01:54]In total, 49 people were rescued, including the oldest person aged 80 and the youngest aged five. An undetermined number of animals were also rescued, including dogs, cats, parrots, and some livestock.

[00:02:10]At least an additional 15 people refused to be relocated.

[00:02:14]>> No major injuries, and no fatalities were reported.

[00:02:18]>> Paramedics checked rescued people as they reached the staging area. Rescue crews face difficult terrain, fast flowing water and farm fences surrounding the affected area.

[00:02:29]>> NSRI crew members in wet suits reached approximately 1.6 km from the affected area by road before waiting and swimming along roadways to assess the situation.

[00:02:41]>> Three NSRI rescued jet ribs from NSRI St. Francis Bay, NSRI Jeff Bay and NSRI Gabbera were deployed with 15 NSRI rescue swimmers, >> NSRI Crocs, SARSA, Search and Rescue South Africa, police divers with additional Crocs, Cougar Fire and Rescue Services, EMS rescue squads and local good Samaritans formed part of the coordinated operation.

[00:03:09]Fast flowing water prevented crocs from being used between the staging area and the affected resort, forcing rescuers to rely on NSRI jet ribs. As evacuations began, jet ribs carried people and animals across sections of the flood area before transferring casualties to Crocs for onward movement to safety. As daylight arrived, a police helicopter joined the operation and rescued people at various stages while ground teams continued working. During the initial daylight hours, a separate emergency was raised for a household further upstream where a family was trapped on a roof.

[00:03:46]NSRI Oyster Bay, NSRI, St. Francis Bay, Crocs, SARSA personnel, police divers, and NSRI rescue swimmers reached the family and safely evacuated them. Cougar municipality ordered residents in the Gamus Valley to evacuate after Cougar Dam exceeded capacity levels. Residents of Kingsway Village, Big Fish, Gamu's Mouth Resort, Ferry Hotel, and all low-lying areas in the Gamus Valley were urged to leave. More than 100 mm of rain had fallen across the region. Koga Executive Mayor Hading Bourneman urged residents in low-lying communities along the Gamus River to evacuate immediately.

[00:04:32]The Cougar Dam is currently at 113% and overflowing extremely fast and we are asking as a precautionary measure for all people in low-lying areas on the Gamto's River to please evacuate their residences as soon as possible. Borman said evacuation shelters were opened at Katrina Felix Hall in Thornhill and the Lurie Community Hall. Katrina Felix Hall served residents from the Ferry Hotel area. Lori Community Hall served residents from Luri and the lower Gamus areas and Vuella Hall in Hanki accommodated residents evacuated from the Weston and Centerton areas.

[00:05:12]Residents in immediate danger or requiring evacuation assistance were urged to contact the Couga call center on 042202 or SAPS on 1011.

[00:05:25]Authorities also warned residents around the Crom River Estuary and Crom River mouth to exercise caution as heavy rain affected river systems from upstream areas including Titikama down to St. Francis Bay. The public was urged to avoid launching boats, swimming, surfing, and other sports activities along the Crom River and around the Crom River mouth. Bthers, boers, surfers, and the wider public were asked to stay away from dangerous water conditions, strong swollen river flows, and natural debris moving downstream and into the sea.

[00:06:02]Borman issued a direct warning for residents near both river systems. Crom River and Gamus River in the low-lying areas, please evacuate as soon as possible. He said, "The Crom River, the levels are rising very fast there, so we want to urge residents to please get to safety. Do not take chances."

[00:06:22]He said canal levels were being monitored, but were not yet under threat. The canals at this stage and the levels we see are rising, but it's not under threat yet. The biggest concern is the river's low-lying areas along the Crom River itself. He said >> the flooding caused widespread damage across Cougar and surrounding areas.

[00:06:43]Humans Dorp, Hanky, and Jeff Bay were among the hardest hit areas. Homes were flooded, roads were washed away, and infrastructure sustained severe damage.

[00:06:53]It's incredible the amount of damage our infrastructure has sustained. Roads have been washed away and areas like the one behind us have been severely affected, said Hading Borman. Our teams have been working throughout the night for the past two nights trying to evacuate people and assist where roads have been blocked by fallen trees or flood damage to ensure they remain accessible.

[00:07:17]Borneman said Human Stor was likely the hardest hit area.

[00:07:22]Many people have suffered damage to their homes and our infrastructure has taken a severe beating there, he said.

[00:07:29]But here in Hanki, there is also major flooding and houses are being evacuated or have already been evacuated.

[00:07:37]The R102 was completely blocked by flooding on the Gamu's River and the municipality urged anyone traveling between Jeff Bay and Nelson Mandela Bay to use the N2 instead.

[00:07:50]Borman also told the public, "Please do not travel at this stage unless absolutely necessary."

[00:07:57]Unconfirmed reports in the provided information indicated further road closures. The R102 between Ferry Hotel and Thornhill was reportedly completely closed. Both bridges on the R331 at Weston and Patenzi were reportedly submerged and impassible.

[00:08:14]The R330 between Hanky and Humansp was reportedly closed at the Hanky Bridge and multiple access roads into Leri and Weston were reportedly cut off by rising water.

[00:08:27]Flooding also affected farming areas.

[00:08:29]Farmers were urged to move livestock, equipment, and machinery to safer areas to prevent major losses. In the supplied reports, farmland near the Gamus River was described as submerged with livestock, equipment, and homes affected. On Thursday, the 7th of May, the Department of Water and Sanitation confirmed that Cougar Dam had reached 120.6% 6% of its storage capacity with peak outflows recorded at 2,491 cub m/s, equivalent to a 1 in 50-year flood event.

[00:09:05]Department spokesperson Weiss Mavasa said the dam remains structurally sound and was operating as designed. Cougar Dam is a 72 m high double curvature concrete arch dam equipped with an uncontrolled spillway and two radial gates. Mavasa said the spillway alone can discharge more than 6,100 cub m/s before reaching the non-overspill crest, which was more than double the flow at the time of the statement.

[00:09:33]Even in the unlikely event of over topping, the integrity of the dam would not be compromised. She said the department chose not to operate the dam's radial gates because of alkali aggregate reaction in the concrete, a condition that causes swelling and could prevent the gates from closing safely.

[00:09:53]Operating the gates under these conditions may create challenges in safely closing them, potentially resulting in permanent loss of storage capacity. Mavasa said the department continues to closely monitor inflows, reservoir levels, and the dam structural behavior. She said the department said Cougar Dam remains safe, stable, and fully operational, and that all necessary measures are in place to protect downstream communities. The floods formed part of a broader severe weather emergency affecting the Eastern Cape and Garden Route where heavy rain, flooding, rough seas, and snow disrupted communities, transport routes, and public services.

[00:10:35]More than 2,000 flood victims were accommodated in 25 emergency shelters across Nelson Mandela Bay. More than 1,500 residents had already been evacuated from floodaffected communities by Wednesday evening with shelters established at Mission Veil Primary School, Klein School, Lilian and Goya Community Hall in Quazakle, Zaba Hall in Langa, Cababa Livingwaters Church in Kiega, Airport Valley in Walmer, Walmer Town Hall, and Kunu community facilities. Gift of the Givers spokesperson Alli Sabé said more than 2,000 flood victims are currently being accommodated in 25 emergency shelters across the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro.

[00:11:20]Gift of the givers dropoff centers have been set up at the Nelson Mandela Bay business chamber, Boardwalk Mall, and the Angen garage next to the Chief Dawid Storman International Airport.

[00:11:33]Humanitarian organizations and disaster management teams appealed for long life milk, cereal, drinking water, nappies, baby wipes, toiletries, blankets, and mattresses. Required items also included water, non-p perishable food, toiletries, nappies, bedding, and clothing. Nelson Mandela Bay beaches were placed under temporary precautionary closure due to dangerous coastal conditions linked to level six and level 8 weather warnings issued by the South African Weather Service.

[00:12:06]Residents were warned to stay away from beaches, rocky shorelines, and tidal pools because of high swells, rough surf, dangerous rip currents, and coastal flooding.

[00:12:17]Several municipal cemeteries were also closed from the 7th of May 2026 until further notice due to adverse weather, flooding, and water logged ground. The affected cemeteries were Wells Estate, Bluewater Bay, Motherwell, New Brighton, Quaza, Vlass, Popp, and Cules, Caba, Gerald Smith, and Dispatch.

[00:12:41]Emergency and disaster response teams remained deployed across the affected region. NSRI, police, DRM, municipal services, and emergency services were on high alert during heavy rainfall affecting the area and at times over the following week. The South African Weather Service issued multiple impactbased warnings for Thursday, 7th of May, 2026.

[00:13:08]An orange level 8 warning for disruptive rainfall remained in place over Kukama, Couga, and Nelson Mandela Bay metro with widespread flooding of roads, settlements, and bridges expected.

[00:13:21]Additional orange and yellow rain warnings covered inland municipalities while snow warnings ranging from yellow level 2 to orange level 5 affected parts of the Drackensburg and surrounding districts.

[00:13:34]Strong, damaging winds and dangerous coastal conditions were forecast along coastal and inland areas, including the stretch between Pletenberg Bay and Port Edward, where rough seas threatened ports, harbors, and beachfront infrastructure. Authorities appealed to motorists and the public not to cross flood waters, roadways, or bridges submerged underwater. The public was urged to avoid unnecessary travel.

[00:13:59]Follow SAWS, SA weather services weather alerts and warnings and monitor municipal warnings and alerts issued for public safety.

[00:14:10]During the GAMTO's rescue operation, the N2 wind farm service station supplied KFC, steers, coffee, and soup to rescue crews and rescued people. Local farmers with tractors and heavy machinery, residents in 4x4 vehicles, the local community and good Samaritans also supported rescue efforts. Displaced people and animals were being assisted through a coordinated effort with the municipality until it was safe to return.