Level 6 Weather Warning: Heavy Flooding Hits Eastern Cape Communities and Roads

• The South African Weather Service issued a Level 6 weather warning on 28 July as heavy rains battered multiple Eastern Cape regions
• Flooding disrupted transport routes and communities across Qumbu, Port St Johns, Lusikisiki, Mthatha, and surrounding areas
• The Department of Education urged parents and school administrators to exercise caution, warning of severe flooding risks in low-lying areas

EASTERN CAPE — The South African Weather Service issued a Level 6 weather warning on 28 July, as severe rainfall triggered widespread flooding across several municipalities in the Eastern Cape, disrupting transport networks and raising safety concerns for residents and school-going children.

According to Newzroom Afrika, the heavy rains affected both coastal and inland regions, with communities in Qumbu, Nyandeni, Port St Johns, and Lusikisiki among the hardest hit. Conditions deteriorated further following a road crash in Qumbu, with flooding spreading rapidly across rural outskirts and urban centres including Mthatha and Edukywa. The recent floods caused an accident on the N2 in Mooiplaas where six died on 28 July.

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Flooding cuts off roads and disrupts motorists

Authorities warned motorists of dangerous driving conditions across affected areas, citing reduced visibility and wet road surfaces following weather-related traffic incidents. Flooding of varying severity was confirmed across both rural and urban parts of the province, with disaster management officials and news teams actively monitoring conditions as the weather system moved through.

Schools and families urged to exercise caution

The Eastern Cape Department of Education directed parents, teachers, and school administrators to take extreme care before sending children to school, specifically highlighting the elevated risk faced by communities in low-lying areas and rural villages prone to severe inundation. The disruptive rainfall was expected to continue until midnight, keeping the threat of localised flooding active across the affected municipalities throughout the day.

Watch Newzroom Afrika's coverage of the Eastern Cape flooding:

Severe weather warning for KwaZulu-Natal

In a related article, Briefly News reported on the severe weather warnings issued for KwaZulu-Natal, which have prompted the activation of disaster management teams across the province. These warnings have raised concerns about potential flooding and infrastructure damage, affecting vulnerable communities.

Source: Briefly News