Ninety families in the Little Karoo have been stranded due to high flood water levels. The South African National Defense Force (SANDF), South African Police Service (SAPS) and an Air Mercy Services helicopter have assisted Gift of the Givers to distribute necessities to these families.
Heavy rains over the past few days have resulted in road closures due to floods and rockfalls.
Air Mercy Services made multiple trips to the other side of the Olifants River near Calitzdorp, just outside of Oudtshoorn, where families were unable to cross because of flooding.
With some parts of the bridge underwater and damaged by the flood, the families could not access roads to buy necessities.
Gift of the Givers Garden Route representative, Mario Ferreira, says, “This specific area where we are now, there are 90 families that are trapped. They sent a request to assist with some food supplies, because they were running out of food, and they were going to be trapped with high water levels for at least another three days. So, they got per family provisions for at least three days now.”
Winter rains cause havoc in Garden Route and Little Karoo
