Search and rescue operations for missing persons are still continuing in the flood-stricken Namakwa District.
SEARCH and rescue operations for missing persons are still continuing in the flood-stricken Namakwa District.
Heavy rainfall during the last week of June flooded several towns in the district and resulted in many roads as well as bridges being damaged.
Northern Cape police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Sergio Kock said the police are still searching for one person who was reported missing after a vehicle carrying five people was submerged during the floods.
“The police’s Search and Rescue team searched for five persons who went missing in the Buffelsrivier after their vehicle was submerged. They retrieved the bodies of four unknown men and are still searching for a fifth missing person.
“The recovery operation is being conducted in the Schaap and Buffelsrivier area. Anyone with information regarding the matter can contact Detective Sergeant Fortuin of the Nabeep Detectives on 082 495 5305. The investigation continues,” Kock added.
The MEC for Co-Operative Governance, Human Settlement and Traditional Affairs, Bentley Vass, said several interventions had been activated to assist areas affected by the floods.
Vass said food parcels and other humanitarian aid have been dispatched to affected communities.
“It is also a sad moment for the community of Buffelsrivier, which was not only most affected by the floods but also had to contend with the loss of life.
“Reports show that one person, Riaan Cloete, is still missing after being swept away by the strong current of the Buffelsrivier. Search and rescue operations are continuing and our thoughts and prayers are with the distraught families.
“A delegation from government visited the family of another young man in Kommagas whose body has also not yet been recovered. Two bodies, believed to be those of foreign nationals, were also recovered and cannot as yet be identified. We want to convey our deepest condolences to all the families that have lost loved ones due to the floods and rains, and we continue to pray and hold hope that Cloete will be found alive.”
Vass urged community members to adhere to the warning signs regarding the state of roads in the district and to work in partnership with authorities to ensure the safety of all.
“We will deploy traffic control in areas earmarked by the department. We have erected warning signs and stop-and-goes where there is a need. We would like to call on the public not to cross flooded roads or to drive through low-water streams or rivers.
“A District Joint Operation Centre (DJOC) was set up on July 1 to co-ordinate our interventions. A WhatsApp number was also made available where community members can indicate their respective needs,” Vass said.
