Lowveld flood status: rescues from rooftops and bridges

NELSPRUIT – Rain has bucketed down in the Lowveld since Tuesday morning and rivers and dams have burst their banks. Although it is not as bad as last year’s floods and that of 2012, a few casualties have been reported and local police divers and rescue workers have had their hands full in assisting people in danger.

At the time of going to press yesterday, 12 people have been rescued and the bodies of three who had drowned, were recovered.

A young, pregnant mother, Me Ilse Bosch, had to be rescued in order for her son to be born.

Flooding in the Lowveld usually occurs in February or March. According to Ms Marina Schumyn of the Institute for Soil, Climate and Water, 163,31 millimetres of rain has fallen in Nelspruit since February 25. This measurement was taken at the Agricultural Research Council’s weather station.

However, Lowvelder asked its readers on Facebook what rainfall they had measured at their homes and according to them, it was a lot more. Ms Liana Lues Jolians on Wednesday said she had measured 130 millimetres in Sonheuwel within 24 hours. Ms Wendy Leigh Josling added they had measured 115 millimetres outside of Nelspruit. Residents of Steiltes reported that up to 80 had been recorded there on Tuesday alone.

Mr Johan Raath of Barberton said they too had received 100 millimetres by the end of Tuesday and 70 millimetres more that night. Ms Carien Vos, who also resides near Barberton, said she measured 185 millimetres. In Komatipoort and Low’s Creek 100 millimetres were also measured.

Rimer’s Creek in Barberton has reached unknown proportions, and a resident even encountered a crocodile in her swimming pool on Thursday.

Farmers reported that amid the relief that the rain has brought, there is also some damage.

Heavy rains continued to fall on Wednesday and by Thursday morning (yesterday), the following 24-hour measurements were communicated by the South African Weather Service (SAWS):

• Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport: 71 millimetres

• Skukuza: 45 millimetres

• Nelspruit: 43

• Komatipoort: 63

• Machadodorp: 35

• Graskop: 21

• Belfast: 98.

Various roads and camps have been closed in the Kruger National Park . WO Oubaas Coetzer, spokesman for Skukuza police, on Wednesday said that SANParks’ helicopter was summoned to Shishangeni Private Lodge near Crocodile Bridge Gate to airlift a man that had been bitten by a snake. He couldn’t reach help via the normal routes.

A helicopter of Mpumalanga Emergency Medical Services also airlifted a pregnant woman of Honeybird in Low’s Creek who was scheduled to undergo a C-section at Mediclinic Nelspruit on Wednesday (report also elsewhere).

Since Wednesday night police divers stationed at White River were summoned to various parts of the Lowveld to assist residents in trouble. According to Capt Joey Potgieter, they rescued seven people who had been trapped on a roof in KaMhlushwa, Tonga. A motorist tried to cross a low-water bridge in the same area and the vehicle got stuck. He eventually exited it as the water level rose and climbed onto the roof of the vehicle. He was saved from certain drowning as he couldn’t swim.

Another motorist had to be saved after he tried to cross a low-water bridge on the Malanga Road near the Cooperdale turn-off. Yesterday Potgieter and her husband, Capt Pottie Potgieter, rescued a man from under a bridge over the Sand River near Hazyview. He had been hanging on for dear life to the bridge’s railings since Wednesday when he was finally saved.

In the Nkomazi area, two children were reported missing by their mother after she returned from work on Tuesday night and found that her house had been swept away by floodwaters. Nkomazi Municipality spokesman, Mr Cyril Ripinga, informed Lowvelder on Thursday morning that attempts to get an update from the mother who reported the matter, had been unsuccessful.

The Potgieters were summoned to the Highveld to retrieve the bodies of three people who had drowned. Two of them were children. An 11-year-old girl had drowned in the Amsterdam area; a 10-year-old boy at Greylingstad and a man in Volksrust. All three bodies were recovered on Wednesday.

According to SAWS, heavy rains are expected to continue over the weekend.

See which well-known Nelspruit establishments were totally submerged this week.

Readers have been sending their photos on video to us via Facebook, email and Blackberry Messenger. See a gallery of the photos and video.