Knysna flood recovery efforts ongoing

KNYSNA NEWS - Municipal teams are continuing clean-up and recovery operations across Knysna to address the flooding, road damage and pressure on the water and sanitation infrastructure caused by persistent heavy rainfall since yesterday, Wednesday 3 June.

Stormwater systems were cleared on Main Street at Ingoma and Ted’s Garden, as well as on Rawson Street near Checkers.

A sump on Queen Street was cleared and a cargo net removed, helping reduce water levels at Nautilus Cove.

Crews also removed sand from Harker Street and opened up blocked waterways at Hornlee Primary School using high-pressure water jets. In Brenton-on-Lake, water continues to flow slowly due to high tide conditions, but no major incidents have been reported.

Municipal teams remain on standby while mop-up operations continue in affected areas.

Roads and traffic

Hospital Hill is still closed to traffic while recovery operations continue. George Rex Drive may be closed periodically to accommodate clearing operations and the movement of heavy machinery. Temporary disruptions may also occur on other roads, including near the former KFC site.

The municipality has also identified several large potholes on Main Street and in the Waterfront area. Repairs have been prioritised and will begin as soon as conditions allow.

Motorists are urged to avoid non-essential travel, but if it cannot be avoided, to drive with caution and reduce speed to 40km/h or lower where necessary.

Rainfall recorded over the past 24 hours Rheenendal:

95mm
Karatara: 90mm
Knysna: 85mm
Sedgefield: 80mm
Buffalo Bay: 50mm

Water and sanitation under pressure

Municipal teams continue to monitor critical water and sanitation infrastructure, with contingency measures in place to maintain services as far as possible. Officials are attending to sewer blockages across the municipality, but the system is under strain due to significant volumes of stormwater entering the sewer network.

Residents are encouraged to report emergencies to municipal emergency services and to follow the official communication channels for further updates.

Emergency contact numbers:

Knysna