Kouga Municipality ordered residents in low-lying areas along the Gamtoos River to evacuate Thursday after the Kouga Dam overflowed [1, 2].
The emergency order comes as severe weather threatens the Eastern Cape, placing thousands of residents at risk of displacement and property loss [3].
Executive Mayor Hattingh Bornman said residents should evacuate immediately as water levels rose rapidly. The South African Weather Services had previously issued a level 8 warning for disruptive rain [1]. This high-level alert indicates a significant risk of flooding that could jeopardize lives and infrastructure in the river valley [1, 2].
Officials said the Kouga Dam exceeded its full capacity and is currently overflowing [2]. Approximately 2.2 million litres of water have poured over the river valley [4]. The surge has created a critical situation for communities situated in the low-lying regions of the Gamtoos River valley [1, 4].
Emergency teams are currently working to assist residents and save those trapped by the rising waters [3]. Reports indicate that thousands of residents have already been displaced by the flooding [3]. The municipality continues to monitor the dam levels and weather patterns to determine the scale of the evacuation effort [2, 3].
Local authorities said all residents in the affected zones should follow evacuation protocols immediately to avoid being cut off by the floodwaters [2].
“Kouga Dam exceeded its full capacity and is currently overflowing”
The overflow of the Kouga Dam during a level 8 weather event demonstrates the vulnerability of the Gamtoos River valley to extreme precipitation. The scale of displacement suggests that existing flood mitigation infrastructure may be insufficient for high-intensity rain events, necessitating urgent evacuation orders to prevent mass casualties.
