At least two dead – including baby girl – after floods in Eastern Cape

Rescue operations are underway across the Eastern Cape after heavy storms and floods ripped through the province.

Heavy storms in Eastern Cape

A man and a baby girl were killed in Kariega, while four women are still missing.

A vehicle with six occupants was also washed away near Rocklands in the early hours of Sunday morning. Five of the occupants were rescued, however one woman is still missing.

The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) said the vehicle was trapped in the flooded Brak River.

“One male was recovered safely from an island, that had formed in the river, an adult female was swept away and is missing, the remaining four were recovered safe on the southern side of the river,” said the NSRI’s spokesperson Craig Lambinon.

As of 10am, at least 70 people had been taken to safety from 55 separate rescue operations across the province.

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A host of teams, including the NSRI, police and municipal services were called into action from roughly 10.45pm on Saturday night.

“Multiple rescue operations have recovered persons safely from buildings, residences and vehicles. NSRI and Coastal Water Rescue have multiple rescuers in wet suits on scene assisting police divers, Police K9 Search and Rescue, NMBMM, the emergency services in operations,” said Lambinon.

In Gqeberha’s harbour, authorities are investigating reports of vessels breaking their moorings, while East London’s Buffalo River has seen sunken jetties as well as damaged and sunken boats.

Ocean race yacht crew saved near Umgazana

Last week, the crew of a prized sailing yacht had to be rescued when they vessel partially sank off the Eastern Cape coast.

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NSRI Port Edward came to the rescue of the crew on the evening of 24 May after the vessel collided with a shipping container.

“The Vasco da Gama Ocean Race 2024 had completed and sailing yachts were returning to their home ports following the ocean race. The four crew onboard, a female age 61, and three males, ages 69, 64 and 62, all from Durban, reported to be abandoning their sailing vessel into a life raft,” confirmed the NSRI.

Rescue teams fought heavy rain and two meter swells to rescue the crew whose lifeboat had drifted and the yacht was recovered near the shore, partially submerged.