The city is under fire because of very strong winds.
As of Wednesday 28 February, Nelson Mandela Bay firefighters had their hands full with blazing fires at Sardinia Bay. A number of roads leading to the area have been closed, and firefighters are still battling and trying to push the fire away from residents.
Municipal spokesman Mthubanzi Mniki said: “The fire is still not under control. We continue to struggle in the dense vegetation areas of Schoenmakerskop. The fire is still stronger in that area and the wind is not making it easy for our teams on the ground.
"Despite that, we are happy to note that Sappershoek has been mostly extinguished aside from sporadic fires that occurred, which were dealt with by the teams. There are still strong winds in the Sardinia Bay area that hamper our efforts, but the teams are working hard to control the fire and keep it away from residents," he said.
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"We evacuated some municipal officials and their families after a municipality building was caught by the fire. Our emergency service is constantly communicating with the residents of the affected area that if there is an urgent need for evacuation, the teams are on standby.
"Almost all our emergency vehicles are out there trying to put the fire under control. We don’t have any report for now of injuries, but we are following up with the teams on the ground. We are pleased with the effort that has been made overnight by our emergency services," said Mniki.
Motorists using Victoria Drive at Sardinia Bay in Gqeberha have been advised to use alternative routes. The roads were blocked to prevent motorists from driving through dense smoke that severely impaired visibility.
