More than 2,500 residents have been displaced after heavy rainfall battered the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality in the Eastern Cape over the past 48 hours.
Municipal authorities say at least 21 wards have been affected, with 141 flood-related incidents reported across the metro. Dozens of homes have been inundated, while several roads remain closed due to dangerous conditions.
The severe weather follows an earlier warning issued by the South African Weather Service (SAWS) for disruptive rainfall in the region.
Emergency and disaster management teams remain on high alert as assessments continue in affected communities.
Nelson Mandela Bay's Director for Safety and Security, Shadrack Sibiya, urged residents to exercise caution, warning that saturated ground conditions continue to pose a risk.
"The roads are still closed and everybody who is moving around must do so with caution because the soil is still saturated, and we do not want any fatalities reported. At this stage, we have not received any reports of fatalities, and we want to keep it that way," said Sibiya.
Municipal officials are continuing to monitor the situation and provide assistance to affected residents as clean-up and recovery efforts get underway.
Authorities have appealed to residents to avoid flooded areas, heed safety warnings and remain alert as wet weather conditions persist across parts of the metro.