Ruptly
"Hundreds were displaced across the Kouga Local Municipality in South Africa on Friday after severe flooding hit the Gamtoos Valley and surrounding areas in the Eastern Cape, damaging homes, roads and infrastructure. Footage shows flooded residential areas and crews clearing mud from the streets. Municipal staff are later seen preparing relief supplies. "We went to bed last night thinking, no, this is never going to happen. And then you get woken up at 1.30 with get out now. And we put out the bed, and you can just hear this bubbling in the house. And I'm thinking, oh my word. It wasn't funny. It wasn't nice at all," a resident said. "Suddenly, you are without a house. And now the most basic needs, the most basic, fundamental need of: I need a meal, I need water, I need a blanket. I didn't have time to pack clothes. You don't think about those things. But because nobody plans for a crisis," added a second. It comes after heavy rain across the Eastern Cape caused rivers and dams to overflow after weeks of changing weather conditions in the Kouga region, which had recently been close to drought disaster status. The Kouga Dam surged from roughly 32 percent capacity to over 110 percent in just 24 hours. Officials said evacuation orders were issued in low-lying areas along the Gamtoos and Krom rivers, but some residents were still caught by fast-rising water overnight. Rescue teams used boats and helicopters to reach stranded families. Relief efforts are now focused on temporary shelters, where displaced residents are receiving food, water and basic supplies. Authorities warned that damage assessments are still ongoing. Residents have been urged to avoid flooded routes and follow emergency updates as further rainfall remains possible."
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