Skip to content Skip to left sidebar Skip to footer

Emergency Communications

6 June 2024 Update 7: Garden Route Floods 17h00 Update on 6 June 2024

Update 7: Garden Route Floods 17h00 Update on 6 June 2024

Issued by the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) Joint Operations Centre (JOC) at 17h00

HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE

Areas where people are cut-off that have been reported to the GRDM DMC and to whom humanitarian assistance are being provided, include:

1) Varkenskraal, Meiringspoort (4 people)

2) Warmbad (90 families)

3) Muisplaas (30 families)

4) Nel’s River, De Rust (17 people)

5) Middelplaas (30 people)

6) Proefplaas Rooiheuwelpad (26 people)

To access relief offered by the NGO, Gift of the Givers, or if you’d like to contribute to this cause, kindly reach out to Mario Ferreira on 082 490 2752.

STATUS QUO

The GRDM’s JOC remains active at its Head Office in George. However, the water levels of the rivers are gradually decreasing. Gerhard Otto, GRDM Head of Disaster Management, stated, “The water levels thankfully did not reach the 1996 levels at the Calitzdorp Hot Springs. Although the water spilling from dams in the catchment matched the 1996 level, they did not peak simultaneously. This resulted in the river flow moving south in ‘waves’ rather than as a single, destructive giant wave.”

According to the latest update, water levels are still subsiding and reached the Gouritz and are flowing to sea.

Over the course of the incident, 17 people were rescued. These include four (4) women, nine (9) men and 4 children.

STATUS OF ROADS
ROADS THAT REMAIN CLOSED

Roads are proactively closed as the water flows to the southern part of the District towards the Gouritz area.

HESSEQUA

1) De Draai Road – between Albertinia and Riversdale a structure is damaged at km 26.5 (Alternative route available both sides)

2) Slangrivier – Road that provide access to the first community in Slangrivier (Alternative route to both sides)

MOSSEL BAY

1) Muiskraal /Herbertsdale road – Gouritzriver in flood (closed since 06/06/2024)
(Alternative routes available to both sides)

OUDTSHOORN

1) Kleinspoort Road between , Kamanassie river in flood (No alternative route available)

2) Waaikraal, Olifantsrivier river in flood (Alternative route available both sides)

3) Le Rouxstasie, Olifantsriver in flood (Alternative route via Dysseldorp)

4) Middelplaas, Olifantsrivier river in flood (No alternative route available)

5) Vlakteplaas, Olifantsriver in flood, Road washaways (Locals only)

6) Oude Muragie, Debris on drift (No alternative route)

7) Vergelegen, River in flood gravel wash aways. Locals only (No alternative route available)

8) Paardebond, River in flood (Locals only with 4 x 4)

9) Slangrivier, rift approaches washed away (No alternative route available)

10) Potgieterspoort, Major damage on road (Alternative route available to both sides)

11) Volmoed, Rockfalls (Alternative routes to both sides)

12) Kammanassie dam /Rooiheuwel, River in flood (Alternative route via Dysselsdorp)

13) Rooiloop, Olifants river big waterhole over road
(Alternative routes to both sides)

14) Meiringspoort (remains closed since 04/06/2024)
Alternative Route: Via the N9, Willowmore from Beaufort West.

15) N12 between Oudtshoorn and De Rust where the road crosses the Nel’s river (remains closed since 04/06/2024)
Alternative Route: Access via the Langkloof road.

16) Volmoed Road due to rockfalls (remains closed since 05/06/2024)
Alternative Route: Access via the R328 between Mossel Bay and Oudtshoorn.

17) Rooiheuwel Road (remains closed since 05/06/2024)
Alternative Route: Via Dysselsdorp.

GEORGE/WILDERNESS/UNIONDALE

1) Pietersrivier (Alternative route via Avontuur)

2) Vaalwater, Road washaways (No alternative route)

3) Kammanassie, River in flood (Locals only) (Alternative routes on both sides)

4) Toorwater, River in flood (Locals only)

5) DR1660 Joncksrust Road (or known as Kliprivier Road) (30km from Uniondale) due to rockfalls (remains closed since 04/06/2024)
(Alternative Route: Road is not fully cut-off, but can follow an alternative route via Avontuur)

6) Prince Alfred Pass between Uniondale and Knysna due to rockfalls and flooding (remains closed since 05/06/2024)
Alternative Route: No alternative route for this road.

7) Haarlem access on the west side is restricted (remains closed since 05/06/2024)
Alternative Route: Access possible from the east turn-off.

8) Oshoek, Approaches washed away. (No alternative route)

9) Gwaing, closed @ km 6.5 Structure washed away (Alternative routes on both sides)

KANNALAND

1) Gai se middelpad, Gamka river in flood (Alternative route available via Gamka west)

2) Jachtberg, Gamka river in flood (Alternative route available via Gamka west)

3) Doornkloof, Olifantsrivier river in flood (No alternative route available)

4) Vleirivier, Olifantsrivier river in flood (No alternative route available)

5) Middelpad, Olifantsrivier river in flood (No alternative route available)

ROADS OPENED AGAIN TODAY

OUDTSHOORN

1) DR1713/R328 adjacent to Raubenheimers Dam (enroute to Bergoord) – OPEN

2) R328 between Mossel Bay and Oudtshoorn – OPEN

3) Swartberg Pass – OPEN

4) Cango Caves – OPEN (One lane)

MOSSEL BAY

1) Geelbeksvlei Road – OPEN

KNYSNA

1) Rheenendal Road off the N2 – OPEN

For more roads information, please contact: Japie Strydom at 083 629 0155 / Gert Verwey at 082 882 8886.

STAY SAFE

People in areas near rivers or those who are considering to cross low-water bridges or structures should avoid doing so at all costs. If a residence is prone to flooding, people should move to higher ground to ensure the safety of family members, pets, and livestock. Do not attempt to walk, swim, or drive through floodwaters, as these can be deeper and faster-moving than what is assumed.

Report weather-related incidents to the Garden Route Emergency Call Centre on 044 805 5071.

Updates are posted to the GRDM Facebook Page, www.facebook.com/gardenroutedm

The next update is planned for 9h00 tomorrow, 7 June 2024.

Issued: GRDM Joint Operation Centre (JOC)

6 June 2024 Update 6: Garden Route Floods 13h00 Update on 6 June 2024

Update 6: Garden Route Floods 13h00 Update on 6 June 2024

Issued by the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) Joint Operations Centre (JOC) at 13h30

HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE

Areas cut-off that have been reported to the GRDM DMC and to whom humanitarian assistance would be provided for are as follow:

1) Varkenskraal, Meiringspoort (4 Persons)

2) Warmbad (90 families)

3) Muisplaas (30 Families)

4) Nel’s River, De Rust (17 Persons)

5) Middelplaas (30 Persons)

To access relief offered by the NGO Gift of the Givers or if you’d like to contribute, kindly reach out to Mario Ferreira at 082 490 2752.

STATUS QUO

The GRDM’s JOC remains active at its Head Office in George. However, the water levels of the rivers are gradually decreasing. Gerhard Otto, GRDM Head of Disaster Management, stated, “The water levels thankfully did not reach the 1996 levels at the Calitzdorp Hot Springs. Although the water spilling from dams in the catchment matched the 1996 level, they did not peak simultaneously. This resulted in the river flow moving south in ‘waves’ rather than as a single, destructive giant wave.”

Over the course of the incident, 17 people were rescued. These include four (4) women, nine (9) men and 4 children.

STATUS OF ROADS
ROADS THAT REMAIN CLOSED

Roads are proactively closed as the water flows to the southern part of the District towards the Gouritz area.

HESSEQUA

1) De Draai Road – between Albertinia and Riversdale a structure is damaged at km 26.5 (Alternative route available both sides)

2) Slangrivier – Road that provide access to the first community in Slangrivier (Alternative route to both sides)

MOSSEL BAY

1) Muiskraal /Herbertsdale road – Gouritzriver in flood (closed since 06/06/2024)
(Alternative routes available to both sides)

OUDTSHOORN

1) Kleinspoort Road between , Kamanassie river in flood (No alternative route available)

2) Waaikraal, Olifantsrivier river in flood (Alternative route available both sides)

3) Le Rouxstasie, Olifantsriver in flood (Alternative route via Dysseldorp)

4) Middelplaas, Olifantsrivier river in flood (No alternative route available)

5) Vlakteplaas, Olifantsriver in flood, Road washaways (Locals only)

6) Oude Muragie, Debris on drift (No alternative route)

7) Vergelegen, River in flood gravel wash aways. Locals only (No alternative route available)

8) Paardebond, River in flood (Locals only with 4 x 4)

9) Slangrivier, rift approaches washed away (No alternative route available)

10) Potgieterspoort, Major damage on road (Alternative route available to both sides)

11) Volmoed, Rockfalls (Alternative routes to both sides)

12) Kammanassie dam /Rooiheuwel, River in flood (Alternative route via Dysselsdorp)

13) Rooiloop, Olifants river big waterhole over road
(Alternative routes to both sides)

14) Meiringspoort (remains closed since 04/06/2024)
Alternative Route: Via the N9, Willowmore from Beaufort West.

15) N12 between Oudtshoorn and De Rust where the road crosses the Nel’s river (remains closed since 04/06/2024)
Alternative Route: Access via the Langkloof road.

16) Volmoed Road due to rockfalls (remains closed since 05/06/2024)
Alternative Route: Access via the R328 between Mossel Bay and Oudtshoorn.

17) Rooiheuwel Road (remains closed since 05/06/2024)
Alternative Route: Via Dysselsdorp.

GEORGE/WILDERNESS/UNIONDALE

1) Pietersrivier (Alternative route via Avontuur)

2) Vaalwater, Road washaways (No alternative route)

3) Kamanassie, River in flood (Locals only) (Alternative routes on both sides)

4) Toorwater, River in flood (Locals only)

5) DR1660 Joncksrust Road (or known as Kliprivier Road) (30km from Uniondale) due to rockfalls (remains closed since 04/06/2024)
Alternative Route: Road is not fully cut-off, but can follow an alternative route via Avontuur.

6) Prince Alfred Pass between Uniondale and Knysna due to rockfalls and flooding (remains closed since 05/06/2024)
Alternative Route: No alternative route for this road.

7) Haarlem access on the west side is restricted (remains closed since 05/06/2024)
Alternative Route: Access possible from the east turn-off.

8) Oshoek, Approaches washed away. (No alternative route)

9) Gwaing, closed @ km 6.5 Structure washed away (Alternative routes on both sides)

KANNALAND

1) Gai se middelpad, Gamka river in flood (Alternative route available via Gamka west)

2) Jachtberg, Gamka river in flood (Alternative route available via Gamka west)

3) Doornkloof, Olifantsrivier river in flood (No alternative route available)

4) Vleirivier, Olifantsrivier river in flood (No alternative route available)

5) Middelpad, Olifantsrivier river in flood (No alternative route available)

ROADS OPENED AGAIN TODAY

OUDTSHOORN

1) DR1713/R328 adjacent to Raubenheimers Dam (enroute to Bergoord) – OPEN

2) R328 between Mossel Bay and Oudtshoorn – OPEN

3) Swartberg Pass – OPEN

4) Cango Caves – OPEN (One lane)

MOSSEL BAY

1) Geelbeksvlei Road – OPEN

KNYSNA

1) Rheenendal Road off the N2 – OPEN

For more roads information, please contact: Japie Strydom at 083 629 0155 / Gert Verwey at 082 882 8886.

*STAY SAFE*

People in areas near rivers or those who are considering to cross low-water bridges or structures should avoid doing so at all costs. If a residence is prone to flooding, people should move to higher ground to ensure the safety of family members, pets, and livestock. Do not attempt to walk, swim, or drive through floodwaters, as these can be deeper and faster-moving than what is assumed.

Report weather-related incidents to the Garden Route Emergency Call Centre on 044 805 5071.

Updates are posted to the GRDM Facebook Page, www.facebook.com/gardenroutedm

The next update is planned for 17h00 today, 6 June 2024.

Issued: GRDM Joint Operation Centre (JOC)

21 May 2024 Media Release: Garden Route District MM shares words of appreciation to role-players of Building collapse Rescue and Recovery operations

Garden Route District MM shares words of appreciation to Role-players of partially-built Building Collapse Rescue and Recovery operations

For immediate release
21 May 2024

For nearly two weeks since 6 May 2024, the town of George in the Western Cape, South Africa experienced a disaster unimaginable when a partially-built building collapsed with workers from South Africa, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mozambique and Lesotho trapped inside.

The collapse prompted a unified response of experts from Local, Provincial and National Government. Individuals from a diverse background joined together to support the families affected by the tragedy and to keep everyone informed as each minute of the rescue and recovery efforts unfolded. Local rescuers and teams from across the country, including urban search and rescue experts, rescue technicians, doctors, paramedics, firefighters, K-9 Police dogs with their dog-handlers, machinery operators, law enforcement, forensic experts, and support personnel worked tirelessly at the site, extracting workers from the rubble. Hospitals were inundated with patients, and volunteers, as well as Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and Faith Based Organisations rallied to provide assistance to the rescue teams. A church choir and spiritual leaders were also at the site to provide comfort.

As the days went by, the Multi-Agency Command Centre (MACC) coordinated by Gerhard Otto, Garden Route District Municipality’s (GRDM) Manager for Disaster Management, released updates with the assistance of Communicators from GRDM, George, Western Cape Government Department of Local Government, SAPS, as well as WCG Health and Wellness, to members of the public and media regarding the latest status of the rescue and recovery efforts.

At the MACC were representatives present from WCG, GRDM, George Municipality, Emergency Medical Services, the South African Police Service, The Forensic Pathology Service, National Department of Employment and Labour and the WCG Department of Social Development to name a few. The MACC was operational 24/7 with morning and afternoon briefing sessions taking place for all role-players to discuss their plans of action.

The last successful rescue was that of 32-year-old living miracle, Gabriel Guambe who was retrieved on 11 May 2024. Gumba was trapped under the rubble for 118 hours. His miracle rescue created tears in the eyes as soon as it became public knowledge. This successful rescue created new hope for all families and residents who waited anxiously for more rescues to occur. While not all stories ended in success, the collective resilience and solidarity of the community was evident throughout the ordeal.

In total, and as per the last media statement issued by the MACC on Friday, 17 May 2024, of the sixty-two workers (62) who were affected by the collapse, twenty-nine (34) were rescued, however to date six patients afterwards unfortunately passed away in hospital.

No one could have known that the Garden Route would be faced with such a tremendous nightmare, but to witness the people of George and Garden Route coming together to pray and provide support in this incident that created a tremendous cloud of adversity over the town, one can only take from it a lifetime of memories created by the incident. The dedicated rescue services and support provided by the golden hearts through their good deeds to those involved in the rescue mission, are just a few to be mentioned.

Monde Stratu, Municipal Manager of GRDM, visited the site on a daily basis to get to terms and understand the intensity of the incident and rescue mission. Stratu expressed his gratitude to every single official, person, and organisation, the whole of South Africa, who worked non-stop, on and off the site and to every single media representative, photographer and communicator who kept the whole of South Africa informed regarding the progress of the rescue operations. Stratu furthermore thanked all government organisations, municipalities and the private sector who prioritised their past two weeks in the best interest of the workers and their families affected by the incident.

In offering condolences to those who lost loved ones, Stratu emphasised that the whole Garden Route grieves alongside them. “He said: “As you mourn the loss of your mother, father, son, daughter or sibling, remember the entire Garden Route mourns with you.  May their departed souls rest in peace.”

ENDS

8 August 2020 Severe Weather Alert: Damaging Winds

The Cape Town Weather Office has issued the following weather alert.

Hazard: Damaging Winds

Alert level: Watch
Valid from (SAST): 08/08/20 – 12h00
Valid to (SAST): 09/08/20 – 00h00

A Gale force NW wind (62 to 74km/h) is expected between Cape Point and Cape Agulhas and over the Central Karoo (Western Cape) tomorrow(08/08/2020).

ADVISORY
1.Strong (50-65km/h) north westerly winds are expected over the interior of the Western Cape on Saturday and Sunday (08-09/08/2020).
2.Strong to near gale force (60-70km/h) north westerly winds are expected between Lamberts Bay and Cape Point on Saturday (08/08/2020) but strong to gale force (65-80km/h) westerly to south-westerly between Cape Point and Plettenberg Bay overnight into Sunday (09/08/2020).

DESCRIPTION: Dangerous veld/bush fire conditions

Whenever there are prolonged periods of little and no rain coupled with warm dry winds, veldt or bush fires can easily be sparked and will spread rapidly in strong winds.

PRECAUTIONS: Dangerous veld/bush fire conditions

Don’t make fires in the open and/or leave fires unattended. Don’t throw cigarette butts out of cars or in the open veldt. Don’t throw bottles in the veldt as they can magnify the sun’s rays and start fires. Prepare and maintain fire breaks in controlled manner. In the case of a large fire report it immediately and move away from the area to let the professionals deal with it. Never throw water onto a fire started by an electrical fault or fires started by oil or paraffin lamps. In this case sand or a blanket should be used to smother the fire. Listen to the radio or TV for warnings and obey the instructions from disaster management officers.

Report any severe weather incidents to the Garden Route Disaster Management Centre at: 044- 805 5071

#SevereWeatherAlert #GardenRouteDM #StaySafe

2 June 2020 GRDM Disaster Management Call Centre Operators play their part during lockdown

While South Africans welcome the phased easing of lockdown restrictions to alert level 3 of the five-tier lockdown system as from Monday 1 June, this action simply means that business as usual continues for those officials who have been working as essential workers during the lockdown period.

Among these are call centre operators of the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) Disaster Management Emergency Call Centre who work as frontline staff, 24 hours a day, seven (7) days a week.  These officials provide a supporting function to essential services providers, by answering general inquiries and emergency calls relating to Emergency Medical Services (EMS); accidents, fires and floods in the Garden Route region, and lately to a large extent, COVID-19 inquiries.

The GRDM Call Centre team consists of four (4) permanent and two (2) temporary operators who work 12 hour shifts at a time, dealing with a volume of ± 2700 – 3000 calls per month.  The well-trained and professional officials are known to perform their daily operations with high integrity and efficiency, providing accurate and reliable information to clients.

According to Mr Gerhard Otto, Manager of the GRDM Disaster Management Centre, “these officials are our unsung heroes who in these very difficult and uncertain times, are required to provide answers and direction to the Garden Route public whom they serve. The GRDM Covid-19 Command Centre continuously to provide operators with frequently updated information, in order for operators to address a myriad of enquiries directed to them as front-line call centre staff,” said Mr Otto.

The Council and management of the GRDM would like to acknowledge all employees and especially the essential workers who have showed great commitment and endurance during the past lockdown level 5 and 4.

“Public service must be more than doing a job efficiently and honestly.  It must be a complete dedication to the people and to the nation.’’   – Margaret Chase Smith