Disaster teams have descended on communities hit hard by heavy rain and flooding over the festive season to assess the damage.
Provincial authorities have confirmed that municipalities in the Amathole, Chris Hani and OR Tambo districts have been prone to disasters caused by heavy rain and thunderstorms in the Eastern Cape in the past three years.
Co-operative governance spokesperson Pheelo Oliphant said disaster teams were on the ground for the next three days, taking stock of damage caused to infrastructure like bridges, roads, homes, stormwater drains and electric pylons.
The areas severely affected by the recent torrential rains were the Mbhashe local municipality, Coffee Bay, Joe Gqabi district municipality and Komani in the Chris Hani district municipality.
“At present, the provincial disaster management committee is in Dutywa to assess the extent of the damage.
“On Tuesday and Wednesday, the committee will be in Coffee Bay and on Thursday it will be in Joe Gqabi district municipality.”
He said 455 houses, 37 shacks and electricity infrastructure were affected by the weather.
“In Amathole there were 18 homes, Alfred Ndzo 325, Chris Hani 1 and in Joe Gqabi district municipality 63 houses were affected.
“There were 27 in Buffalo City metro and in the Nelson Mandela Bay metro 10 shacks were affected.”
The Joe Gqabi and OR Tambo district municipalities reported damaged electricity infrastructure.
“Eskom has restored power in Joe Gqabi and OR Tambo.
“Human settlements will provide temporary shelter. Contractors are already appointed and ready for implementation.”
Four bridges in OR Tambo were severely damaged — Nenga, Mathokazini, Ndzulwini and Zinkawu at Coffee Bay.
One bridge from Fameni to Melithafa road and one road from Dwesa to Nqabarha in the Mbhashe local municipality were ruined.
One bridge at Ngcwengane Locality in Matatiele under the Alfred Ndzo district municipality was destroyed.
“King Sabata Dalindyebo local municipality repaired the Nenga Bridge on a temporary basis to allow movement.
“Matatiele local municipality repaired the Ngcwengane Bridge.”
Oliphant said the department of social development and Sassa would also provide relief.
Seven people have been reported injured after their houses collapsed in the storm that hit various villages on the afternoon of January 10.
One of them was a 29-year-old resident of Mevana Village who later died at Willowvale Health Centre from internal injuries.
This was the second fatality in Mbhashe.
On January 1, a 20-year-old woman was reported to have been swept away while trying to cross an overflowing Xhora River to a neighbouring village.
While the search-and-rescue mission is continuing, the intermittent heavy rains are not making it easy for the divers.
In the past week, 61 houses were flooded in the Enoch Mgijima region, according to the Chris Hani district municipality.
Cradock, in the Inxuba Yethemba municipality, was also affected on Wednesday when the Fish River broke its banks.
Its mayor, Noncedo Zonke, shared images of cars and trucks stranded on the N10 highway due to damage caused by the flooding.
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