By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Residents in Gqeberha and Kariega in the Eastern Cape were forced to evacuate their homes after heavy rainfall caused floods throughout the area.
Dozens of roads in Nelson Mandela Bay Metro have been closed or affected by flooding caused by the rain which is expected to continue on Tuesday.
The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality said dozens of people in Kariega (Uitenhage) were evacuated from several areas, including Lapland, which was also badly affected previously.
NMB spokesperson, Sithembiso Soyaya, said evacuated residents are being taken to the various church and community centres, with the town hall in Kariega also opened as a place of shelter.
He said they will also monitor the situation at clinics and schools to ensure they have water as well, while teams will be on the ground from early on Tuesday to assist.
At least one school in Kariega notified learners and parents of the cancellation of exams.
The humanitarian organisation Gift of the Givers Ali Sablay, said calls are pouring in while they are in contact with various disaster teams.
He said they would be assisting with blankets, mattresses, hygiene packs, and food for affected residents.
Sablay said water tankers from Adelaide will also be taken to Kwanobuhle which reportedly has no drinking water saying “it seems the water plant was damaged.”
He added that the Gift of the Givers teams are also on standby in Pietermaritzburg, Johannesburg and Cape Town.
Meanwhile, the South African Weather Service has issued a Yellow Level 4 warning for disruptive rain over the Koukamma, Dr Beyers Naude, Blue Crane Route, Makana, and Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipalities in the Eastern Cape for Tuesday.
The forecaster further warned of severe thunderstorms and damage from wind and hail over most parts of the KwaZulu Natal and north-eastern parts of the Eastern Cape also for Tuesday.