George Municipality Strives to Recover from Weekend Storm Surge

In the wake of a devastating storm surge over the weekend, the George Municipal area is in the midst of extensive mopping-up operations. The storm surge resulted in flooded coastal areas, damages to properties, and significant impact to municipal infrastructure.

On Tuesday, the Municipality outlined its committed efforts to ensure the safety of its residents with rigorous clean-up interventions. Ntobeko Mangqwengqwe, George Municipality spokesperson, stated that their damage assessments primarily focused on key utility infrastructures such as potable water pipes and electrical components.

Herold’s Bay, one of the more severely affected areas, suffered widespread damage to both Municipal infrastructure and private properties. Mangqwengqwe stressed that the value of the damages is under assessment, which will only be finalised once the clean-up operations conclude.

According to Mangqwengqwe, the storm surge also affected the sewerage pump station, flooded stand-by generators, and wreaked havoc on bridges, roadways, sidewalks, and retaining walls. Accumulating sand deposits rendered several roads inaccessible, an impediment the clean-up crew are now addressing.

Victoria Bay also experienced substantial damage to Municipal infrastructure and private properties. The storm led to damaged ablution buildings, retaining walls, and sidewalks. The public beach was critically impacted, with the steps to the beach now destroyed. The public has been warned to stay cautious.

Mangqwengqwe reported further damage to the Gwaing River lifeguard tower and exposed concrete pillars. In Wilderness, notable harm was done to the Leentjies Braai and recreational sites. As a safety measure, all affected beaches remain closed to discourage public recreational use in the clean-up and assessment phase."

We are doing everything possible to ensure that residents and visitors have access to the area as soon as possible," Mangqwengqwe concluded.