Heavy rains have caused a widespread electricity outage in parts of the Garden Route.
Affected areas are Wilderness, Woodville, Karatara, Sedgefield, The Crags and Nature’s Valley.
Eskom said technical teams are on site and are actively conducting fault-finding, despite challenging weather conditions.
Customers are urged to treat all electrical connections as live during this period.
The Bitou Municipality has had to shut down freshwater pumps.
This was caused primarily by extreme and dangerous currents in the river which made it impossible to continue operating or restarting the pumps.
The Municipality also said water levels continue to rise in all low-lying parts of Nature’s Valley.
As a result, the municipal office there, is closed, and workers were sent home.
Floodwater from St. Patrick’s Avenue is running past the municipal office and through Phyl Martin Park.
The water has lifted the municipal septic tank out of the ground, making the area highly unstable.
A white Mercedes-Benz was half-floating on property in St. George’s Street, opposite Heather Street, in George.
Several roads are closed because of rising water levels, including the R102 Groot River Pass (Western Side), where rockfalls are actively increasing.
Motorists are strongly warned not to attempt crossing flooded roads and low-water crossings in and around the greater Mossel Bay municipal area following sustained heavy rainfall.
Road users travelling on the R327 towards Herbertsdale (Du Plessis Pass) are urged to exercise extreme caution due to rockfalls and debris along the roadway.
Conditions remain unstable, and further rockfalls may occur without warning.
Closed Roads are DR1581 Geelbeksvlei Road (towards Brandwag / Brandwacht), DR1633 (towards Jonkersberg) and DR1602 (Kleinplaas).
Additional High-Risk for Closure / Flood-Affected Routes are Haelkraal Road (R328 – Ruiterbos to R327 – Herbertsdale) Leeukloof Road (Klein Brak River / Botlierskop area) and Kleinplaas Road (Great Brak River / Friemersheim / Jonkersberg).
Cape Nature also temporarily closed some trails in the area, including Tierkloof Hiking Trail at Gamkaberg Nature Reserve (1-7 June 2026), all facilities at Limietberg Nature Reserve, including campsites and picnic sites (1-30 June 2026), all hiking trails at Vrolijkheid Nature Reserve (2-4 June 2026), all facilities at Anysberg Nature Reserve and all accommodation, hiking trails, picnic sites, 4×4 trails, including Oukraal at Gamkaberg Nature Reserve (2-7 June 2026) and Keurbooms River Nature Reserve (2-29 June 2026).
All facilities at Robberg Nature Reserve and Marine Protected Area are also temporarily closed (3-4 June 2026).
Picture: Supplied