Severe floods on the Garden Route

kilos

kilos

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New Mossel Bay Mall is under water, as well as Great Brak River Die Eiland houses which are a meter underwater, one of my mates took 3 hrs to get back from Mossel Bay to George as roads have become rivers, fortunately electricity is still working in George in some parts, check http://www.funkey.com/weather/ for the rainfall figures in Victoria Bay Heights close to George

This is worse than the 1997 floods that occured last in the area
My Wireless ISP WisperNET is still working in these extreme conditions

Rain in Victoria Bay has exceeded 72mm
Cheers from a very very wet George

Garden Route Mall parking lot flooded guys have abandoned their cars, Mugg & Bean
flooded out
 
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Yeah we travelled through that area after the 1997 floods. :mad:
 
and if cape town this morning is anything to go by you have got a whole lot more coming

kilos - when you get a chance check out the solar-panel hotspot equipment being rolled out in Knysna
 
dominic said:
and if cape town this morning is anything to go by you have got a whole lot more coming

kilos - when you get a chance check out the solar-panel hotspot equipment being rolled out in Knysna
Click to expand...

Some clouds about in Cape Town according to the Blouberg strand webcam
http://www.midafricam.co.za/www/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=12

>kilos - when you get a chance check out the solar-panel hotspot equipment being rolled out in Knysna
Due to goto Knysna to change the Knysna webcam that shifted, will take that cam down and put in a
Pan/Tilt/Zoom mounted on the same ridge as the present cam but higher up on the ridge too.

Will do a wireless sniff with Kismet and take some photos of the hotspot equipment,
check the routing if international traffic routes via the Deutsche Telekom satellite link.

Just purchased a Zyxel Wireless P2000W VoIP phone of eBay for R880 excl shipping,
and will check the Wireless VoIP solution in Knysna out.

Checkout the rough seas on the VicBay webcam
http://www.midafricam.co.za/www/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=4

Spot the rocks on the railway track & landslide onto the tracks
http://www.midafricam.co.za/flood2006/capture_kaaimans.jpg
 
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http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,,2-7-1442_1977106,00.html

Tisha Steyn

George - Heavy rains have claimed the lives of at least three people in the Southern Cape.

Three people were washed away in their car in Conville when the road gave way on Tuesday evening. The body of a three-and-a-half year old girl has been found. Police were still searching for the bodies of a man and a woman who were inside the car.

By 08:00 on Wednesday morning 230mm of rain had fallen at George Airport. This was an all time high, according to the weather bureau. The previous maximum measured over a 24-hour period was on 20 August 1962, when 116 mm had fallen.

Many roads were closed due to flooding. The road between Oudtshoorn and George was closed at Waboomskraal after a farm dam had broken.

The road between Knysna and Sedgefield was closed. The exact extent of the damage was not yet known.

School closed

The road between Plettenberg Bay and De Vlugt was also closed. The level of one of the tributaries to the Keurbooms River had risen to five metres above its normal level at De Vlugt, which was cut off.

The Keurbooms River as well as the Bitou River, which run into the sea at Plettenberg Bay were both in flood, said Ray Farnham of the NSRI.

Pupils at Wittedrif High School were sent home before both roads running to it had to be closed.

At Wilderness a mudslide had caused a tree to fall on top of a house, but nobody was injured.

The road in the Kaaimans Pass between George and Wilderness was flooded and the railroad used by the Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe had also been damaged.

At Glentana two caravans were washed away to sea. Two more were wrecked when they washed up against a house, and several people had to be evacuated from their homes.

According to Craig Lambinon of the NSRI, the volunteer organisation had to send a paramedic by canoe to take medicine to a patient with chronic tuberculosis and who had been cut off by the flooded Groot-Brak River.

By 12:00 it was still raining over most of the area. The local weather bureau forecast more rain for the rest of Wednesday and Thursday. According to the bureau the front was slowly moving eastward, and the heavy rains should hit Plettenberg Bay by Thursday.

Rainfall measured between 08:00 on Tuesday and 08:00 on Wednesday, indicated that it had rained 168,6mm in Knysna, 90,8mm at Mossel Bay, 43,8mm at Riversdale and 43,1mm at Oudtshoorn. Plett had received 38mm by then.
 
Anyone familiar with Glentana around here ? Here are some pics of the area between the cafe on the beach and the 4-way stop behind it.
1
2
3

A snippet from the mail received :
email said:
Glentana het sedert Maandag al amper 300mm reën gekry, en dit val steeds!!!

Die kafee & etlike huise is WEG!!!

Daar is 'n sloot vanaf die karavaanpark deur die kafee se parkeer area tot
by die see, en agter tot verby die 4 rigting stop, sowat 8 meter diep, 20 -
40 m wyd.
Click to expand...
 
some ppl here from ladismith cannot go home 2nite :( , I hope everything is ok 2moro cause we have to drive to cape town.
 
Hi kilos.


Sympathies on your situatyion. Do you have any information about Sedgefield and that area? Any flooding of the houses on the island section?

Regards, Ken
 
National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) Media release:

Southern/Eastern Cape 04 August, 2006. NSRI continue assistance with flood related incidents.

Ian Gray, NSRI Port Elizabeth Station Commander said the NSRI PE volunteers were headed for some well earned rest in the early hours of yesterday evening when they were called to join the Metro Ambulance and Rescue Services, the SA Police Services, Netcare 911 Ambulance Service and Nelson Mandela Bay Fire and Rescue Services called to a motor vehicle accident at Bushy Park near Seaview where a family of four's vehicle had been swept off a flooded road and after being separated from their vehicle they were reported to be missing in amongst bushes in heavy flooding.
NSRI PE volunteers launched an NSRI crewman's private rubber duck at the scene which was inaccessible to vehicles and all 4 persons were rescued and taken to hospital by ambulance in stable conditions.
Another vehicle had also left the road in the same place where floods had swamped the road shortly following the first accident but the single occupant had managed to swim safely to a bank and was not injured.
The conditions were not appropriate for launching the NSRI rigid inflatable at the scene as it is designed specifically for sea conditions and NSRI Port Elizabeth have been trying to raise the R160 000.00 required to purchase a surf rubber duck similar to the crewman's private duck which proved ideal for an operation of this nature.

This morning beginning at 07h00 NSRI Plettenberg Bay Station Commander Ray Farnham said they were called to assist with relief operations in the De Vlug area where 30 families on farms, stranded by floods, required relief supplies.
An Oryx helicopter was preparing to be dispatched from Cape Town by the South African Air Force when Fanie Jordaan of Pezula Private Estate volunteered his EC-120 helicopter to carry out the operation.
3 NSRI crew volunteers flew on a number of sorties aboard Fanie Jordaan's Pezula Private Estate helicopter from Plettenberg Bay carrying relief supplies arranged by the Bitou Municipality through the Plett Community Church who had made up relief parcels for delivery to the area that had been cut off by the flooding.
Various families in the flooded area had also placed orders that had been made up packed in boxes by local volunteer community services and these were also delivered during the operation.
Ray said we are overwhelmed by the gesture of Fanie Jordaan who donated the use of his helicopter to assist the NSRI to speedily carry out this much needed relief.

Bob Meikle, NSRI St Francis Bay Station Commander said that his NSRI volunteer crews had continued to monitor the situation with rising water levels throughout the night and throughout this morning but no major incidents were reported other than residents houses that had been swamped by mud in the flood conditions. In one incident Bob had to be pulled from thick mud after he began sinking into the mud while helping a lady from her home. A tractor was used to pull him free from sinking deeper into the mud after it had already reached up to his chest.

All NSRI stations volunteer crews in the Southern and Eastern Cape remain on full alert to assist the Metro Emergency Medical Services, SA Police Services, Fire and Rescue Services, Disaster Management and local community services to deal with emergency incidents related to the flooding disaster.

Released by:

Craig Lambinon
NSRI Spokesman
0823803800
 
National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) Media release:

Eastern Cape, 03 August, 2006. NSRI assist in flood related incidents.

Ian Gray, NSRI Port Elizabeth Station Commander said that just after midnight last night, in heavy downpours, NSRI Port Elizabeth volunteers went on full alert to assist the Joint Operations Emergency Services in flood related incidents in the area.
At 00h37 NSRI volunteers were dispatched to rescue a female from a central suburb who had been trapped in a tree after her home was flooded. Rescue swimmers swam to her aid and her life was saved. During the early hours of the morning a further 42 people were rescued, by NSRI volunteer rescue swimmers using rescue torpedo buoys and jet-ski's, from flooded areas including two informal settlements.
NSRI volunteers launched a rubber duck into flooded plains on a small holding to attempt to rescue 2 horses trapped by floods. 1 horse was rescued the second horse was found unharmed at day break and brought to safety.
At 07h00 an NSRI volunteer crew were summoned to assist the Emergency Services at a Joint Operations Control Centre set up to deal with a barrage of flood related incidents.
2 motor vehicle accidents, one involving a taxi, were immediately dealt with by NSRI volunteers after the vehicle occupants were not only trapped by vehicle wreckage but also in inaccessible flood waters.
In other incidents NSRI rescue swimmers were swimming down main roads and freeways and across flooded plains to rescue trapped residents, people trapped on the roofs of homes, businesses and on the roofs of vehicles. Jet ski's were also used to assist in rescue operations and a helicopter was activated but grounded and unable to fly due to low cloud cover.
In total by 18h00 this evening the NSRI volunteers had activated to 21 call-outs assisting 76 people, saving the lives of a further 47 people and assisted to search for a 2 year old child who is still missing. NSRI volunteers further recovered 23 cows, 1 bull, 2 goats, 5 dogs, 2 horses, 1 cat trapped by floods and recovered a vehicle.
At 19h30 NSRI Port Elizabeth and Netcare Ambulance Services were dispatched to a motor vehicle accident near Bushy Park in the Seaview area.

At Wittedrift near Plettenberg Bay last night NSRI volunteers from NSRI Plettenberg Bay were activated to assist a female trapped after her home was flooded. NSRI volunteers used a jet-ski and floatation stretcher to retrieve the lady. During the rescue operation snakes, including puff-adders, were using the NSRI's floatation equipment to escape the water but no incidents were reported and once on dry land the snakes went on their way. One dog was rescued from the ladies home in the rescue operation but her second dog, a Great Dane, refused to be rescued and on returning to the house this morning the Great Dane was found safe and not injured.

Since 08h00 this morning NSRI St Francis Bay volunteers went on full alert to assist the Emergency Services to monitor rising dam levels and rivers in the area of Cape St Francis. As yet no incidents have been reported and despite heavy rains the situation appears to be under control.

At 07h00 this morning the Canadian Helicopter Company (CHC) NSRI High-line rescue team were activated to airlift a sailor with lacerations to his lower back after a suspected fall aboard the 160 metre cargo carrier 'Panto Krator' 45 nautical miles off-shore of the Southern Cape Coast. An ER24 paramedic accompanied the flight. On arrival on-scene NSRI rescue swimmer Nico Page was hoisted aboard the ship and a stokes basket stretcher was used to hoist the patient aboard the helicopter where he was treated by the ER24 paramedic and NSRI medic. On arrival in George an ER24 ambulance transported the patient to hospital in a stable condition for further treatment.

Ian Weinberg, NSRI CEO said: "I am so proud to be a part of this organization. The crews have voluntarily come forward, taking leave from work and leaving their families to assist their communities. Our sympathy goes out to those families who have lost loved ones. We will continue to pitch in wherever possible to prevent further loss of life."

Released by:

Craig Lambinon
NSRI Spokesman
0823803800
 
Hopefully parents catch a wake up and dont drive with their kids over flooded bridges and roads. :mad:

Car goes in, water gets just just too deep, car turns into a little boat that wants to float, tires leave ground and weeeeee!, there you go downstream. Bye Bye life...
 
My gran was eating a garden salad and I knocked my water over onto it. It was soaked. She started to cry because it reminded her of the flooding.

My condolences to the families of the victims.
 
kenironside said:
Hi kilos.


Sympathies on your situation. Do you have any information about Sedgefield and that area? Any flooding of the houses on the island section?

Regards, Ken
Click to expand...
I have not heard any reports as I had daily conversations with a customer
in Sedgefield, just the Swartvlei water level very high.
Worst hit was Glentanna and of course PE.

George Municipality Roads Dept were on the ball fixing all the damaged roads,
working in the rain on Friday. Today was a great sunny day and we all feel like dassies enjoying the sun. I know two radio companies had to cart a generator onto one of the high sites as with no sun for a few days, the batteries got dranied quite quickly. That site was accessible by an Eskom concrete road, the other high sites, the guys hired a chopper to sort out the
equipment that was down.

Telkom was hard at work repairing down lines in Fernridge (very old lines)
George Municipality -Electrical Dept were hard at work in the rain on Wednesday when one of the CBD transformers got flooded and that area was without power for a couple of hours.
Cannot report from the other areas, but according to the above postings, rescue staff were very busy.
Traffic doubled to the midafricam website on Thurs, Friday.
The Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe not running today due to rocks slides
at Kaaimans Bridge and the damaged section above Vicbay.

One of our students at my fulltime employ lost a family member at the Pienaar Street
bridge, between Conville and Rosemoor. I felt sorry for them and all the folks in their
shacks that had to be evacuated.
 
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kenironside said:
Hi kilos.


Sympathies on your situatyion. Do you have any information about Sedgefield and that area? Any flooding of the houses on the island section?

Regards, Ken
Click to expand...

Hi Ken, :)

My father is retired down there.

I spoke to him earlier this week and he reckons they were lucky the mouth of the estuary was open otherwise the flood a few years ago would have been nothing compared to this one. The water level rose to levels below what they did in that last flood, but couldn't go higher as the water was moving out the river mouth a rate of knots.

With the other flood back then, the river mouth was closed if you recall.

Wonder if they could make Sedgefield's estuary permanently open?

Cheers,
BTTB
 
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