Garden Route floods: These are the affected areas and road closures

Despite weather warnings being downgraded from Level 8 to Level 6, the Garden Route multi-agency command centre said areas such as Knysna, Bitou, and George (Langkloof) remain a concern. 

In a statement released on Thursday, the Garden Route Municipality said that during the night, the Stormdrift and Kammanassie Dams began spilling, adding to the water flowing from the Groot River through to Meiringspoort. 

“These flows continue past Oudtshoorn and Calitzdorp Hot Springs before eventually reaching Gouritz, where it will flow into the sea. Due to the increased water flow, Robinson Pass from the Oudtshoorn side has been closed. Meiringspoort also remains closed, with current assessments indicating that it may remain inaccessible for an extended period due to the extent of the damage recorded,” it said. 

According to the municipality, water supply challenges are being experienced after pumps at water abstraction points were damaged in Bitou. Some communities have also been cut off from communication, and interventions are underway to address these challenges.

It further confirmed the remaining closure of the N9, the road between Avontuur and Haarlem, and the Swartberg Pass.

Areas cut-off

The South African National Defence Force (SANDF), together with the Oudtshoorn Fire Department and SAPS divers, is making every effort to evacuate residents from Bergoord safely. EMS Metro and a Medical Rescue Helicopter are being deployed to assess areas and possibly deliver food parcels to areas where access is cut off.

Areas cut off in the Oudtshoorn municipal area: 

• Middelplaas
• Volmoed
• Cango Bergoord
• De Oude Meul
• Moeras River
• Proefplaas

Areas cut off in the Kannaland municipal area

• Paardebont (close to Van Wyksdorp)

Areas cut off in the George municipal area

• Mount Hope (past Zebra)

Areas cut off in the Bitou municipal area

• SNK & Fisantehoek

Shelter

The municipality said relief and shelter efforts are continuing across the district, with around 450 people who remain affected by severe weather conditions. Water levels are expected to subside, with most runoff anticipated later this afternoon [Thursday].

People affected in the Bitou municipal area

• Kranshoek: 58
• Wittedrift: 20
• Piesang Valley: TBC

People affected in the Knysna municipal area

• Hornlee Community Hall: 40
• Masefundi Library: 200
• Loerie Park: 30
• Sedgefield: 10
• Smutsville: 10
• Chris Hani: 5
• Methodist Church: TBC

People affected in the Oudtshoorn municipal area

• Toekomsrus, Welgeluk, GG Kamp, Black Joint: 54
• De Rust: 25

Road closures

The following roads are listed in the Western Cape Government road closure update for the Garden Route District:

• TR2/12 – Grootrivier Pass (Nature’s Valley area)
• TR75/2 – Oudtshoorn to Cango Caves (Oudtshoorn area)
• TR33/4 – Meiringspoort (Oudtshoorn area)
• DR1707 – Middelplaas (Oudtshoorn area)
• MR369 – Swartberg Pass (Oudtshoorn area)
• DR1709 – Groenfontein (Calitzdorp area)
• MR401 – Huisrivier Pass (Calitzdorp area) Open
• MR309 – Seweweekspoort (Ladismith area)
• MR390 – Kruisvallei (Knysna/Plettenberg Bay area)
• MR355 – Seven Passes (Knysna/Plettenberg Bay area)
• DR1615 – Swart River (Knysna/Plettenberg Bay area)
• MR346 – Buffels Bay (Knysna/Plettenberg Bay area)
• MR359 – Barrington (Knysna/Plettenberg Bay area)
• MR394 – Keurboomstrand (Knysna/Plettenberg Bay area)
• TR44/1 – R62 Avontuur to Eastern Cape boundary (Langkloof area)
• DR1645 – Waboomskraal (Langkloof area)
• DR1640 – Montagu Pass (Langkloof area)
• DR1602 – Kleinplaas (George area)
• DR1633 – Jonkersberg (George area)
• MR401 – Uniondale Poort and town (Uniondale area)
• MR399 – Avontuur (Uniondale area)
• TR01/2 – Herold to Noll (Langkloof area)
• DR1604 – Haelkraal (Mossel Bay area)
• DR1587 – Donaldshoogte/Botlierskop (Mossel Bay area)

robin.francke@iol.co.za

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