Buffalo City Metro urges caution as heavy rains impact Eastern Cape

Buffalo City Metro in the Eastern Cape is urging residents and motorists to exercise caution as persistent heavy rains grip the region.

The areas most severely affected by the heavy rains are Wards 15, 30, 33, 35, 45, and 49, along with Duncan Village Ward 2 and 6.

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“Fortunately, no displacements or fatalities have been reported at this time. The city’s Disaster Management teams, in collaboration with Human Settlements, are actively collecting information about the affected individuals, ensuring they receive necessary support,” read the statement.

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The Electricity Department, Fire Services, and Disaster Management remain on standby to address any emergencies. Residents are encouraged to reach out to Disaster Management at 0437437118 and the Fire Service at 043 705 9000 in case of any unforeseen events.

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BUFFALO CITY METRO COUNCILLORS ADVISED TO STAY VIGILANT DURING THE HEAVY RAINS

“The city advises local councillors to stay vigilant about the adverse weather conditions and activate their ward-based structures to respond to any potential incidents,” read the statement.

Buffalo City Metro is concerned about factors contributing to flooding, including the construction of houses in flood-prone areas, strain on drainage systems due to littering, and illegal building on top of municipal infrastructure.

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The city’s Disaster Management services are closely monitoring severe weather conditions in coordination with the South African Weather Service to keep the affected communities informed.

MOTORISTS URGED TO BE CAUTIOUS

Motorists in the East London, Mdantsane, and eQonce areas should be cautious of low-lying roads and bridges. Blocked drainage on various streets, often caused by illegal dumping, is a prevalent issue. To address this, the city has deployed jetting machines to clear stormwater drainage systems.

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Both internal and external teams are on standby, working diligently to unblock stormwater systems and alleviate flooding concerns across Buffalo City. Their efforts will continue until the situation is under control.

WATER OUTAGE IN DIMBAZA

Regarding the water outage in Dimbaza, the city reports that power issues have disrupted the water supply.

As a result, the entire system is currently empty, and it may take up to a week to restore normal water supply. This situation arose due to a lack of water production and pumping from Amatola Water’s Laing WTW for three consecutive days.