Severe weather causes widespread damage across South Africa's Garden Route

CAPE TOWN, May 9 (Xinhua): Severe flooding, landslides, and storm damage have battered parts of South Africa's Garden Route, leaving communities isolated, roads closed, and critical infrastructure heavily damaged, local authorities said.

According to a statement issued Saturday by the Garden Route District Municipality, at least 45 roads across the eastern parts of the region were closed after days of extreme weather.

"These floods are the worst that the Garden Route has experienced in the past 30 years. It has left widespread devastation across the eastern parts of the region, leaving several communities isolated and infrastructure heavily impacted with at least 45 roads closed," Gerhard Otto, head of disaster management at the municipality, said in the statement.

At least one person, a social worker from Knysna, died after a tree fell on her car amid severe weather conditions, according to local media reports.

Authorities said aerial reconnaissance flights were being deployed to assess damage and locate stranded residents in remote areas. Humanitarian relief teams were expected to assist around 100 people in isolated communities on Saturday.

The municipality said electricity had been restored in some coastal areas and water pumping systems were operational again, although sewerage infrastructure remained only partially functional in certain locations.

 Several inland communities remained completely cut off by floodwaters and road damage, while large areas continued to experience power outages.

 Emergency rescues were carried out across the region, including helicopter evacuations of stranded residents and tourists trapped by rising floodwaters.

Officials said an application would be made to the national government for the declaration of a national disaster once a full assessment of the damage had been completed.

In a statement on Friday, South African National Parks (SANParks) said heavy rains, strong winds, and flooding had caused "widespread disruption" across the Garden Route National Park.

SANParks said parts of the park recorded extreme rainfall, causing severe infrastructure damage, blocked roads, mudslides, and fallen trees that continued to hinder recovery efforts. Several campsites, hiking trails, and recreational activities remained closed, while floating debris and displaced navigation markers created additional hazards in estuary areas.

SANParks also said some roads remained inaccessible except to four-wheel-drive vehicles, while power outages and limited communications coverage persisted in affected areas.

Meanwhile, the Garden Route District Municipality warned on Saturday that more severe weather is expected from Sunday through Tuesday, with damaging winds of up to 120 km/h forecast for parts of the Western Cape.