While Bathurst recorded 200mm and holidaymakers at the coast brought out the cards and Monopoly, amid downpours of up to 170mm, Grahamstown got of relatively lightly with no more than 70mm over the Easter weekend.
While Bathurst recorded 200mm and holidaymakers at the coast brought out the cards and Monopoly, amid downpours of up to 170mm, Grahamstown got of relatively lightly with no more than 70mm over the Easter weekend.
In Port Alfred, said Harcourts Rentals' Una Tarr, they measured 125mm of rain on Monday morning. However, she said tenants in the beachfront Kowie Beach Cabanas reported no problems, despite high tides and heavy rains.
Holidaymakers at the coastal village of Hamburg, south of Peddie, however, were stuck as spring tides, an overnight rainfall of 170mm, and streams from the catchment turned to torrents, combined to cover the only access bridge for 24 hours.
Hamburg Backpackers owners Allan and Mandy Booth opened up their doors to sodden campers, who had found themselves floating in their tents in the middle of the night.
Bathurst received the heaviest rainfall in the area. Resident Tom Barrett said although they weren't affected too badly, altogether 200mm had fallen.
"We experienced no damage," said Barrett, who also maintains several of the village's historic landmarks.
"But people living below the Bathurst Arms were flooded."
Grocott's Mail's rain-watch team variously recorded between 50mm and 70mm in different parts of town.
Robin Stobbs, in Grant Street, reported 55mm at midday on Sunday 5 April, writing, "and can see from my window that there is more in the jolly old pluvio".
Recalling previous months when there was a total far above the average, he cited July 1979.
"There was 261.5mm for a monthly average of only 41mm!"
Nick James, writing from Rivendell at the bottom of Howieson's Poort, reported 48mm so far "with 15mm overnight, making a total of 63mm. "It could hardly be wetter."
Nikki Kohly measured "a dizzying 70mm" total for the Easter weekend, describing it as "typical full moon weather".
Grahamstown residents are still counting the cost of the weekend weather.
While Saturday's matches went ahead as planned, Sunday's rain put a serious damper on a rugby tournament organised by the Lily Whites Rugby Club.
An Easter Soccer Tournament under the auspices of the Makana Local Football Association was postponed and is expected to be rescheduled for later this week.
Grocott's Mail is currently following up on reports of damage to houses. One woman's wattle and daub house was completely washed away by flood waters.
And Extension 6 residents are still mopping up after severe flooding in that area.
The Economic Freedom Fighters' Sara Baartman region representative, Mzwandile Qotoyi, wrote to Grocott's Mail, saying, "Streets were flooded with water right in front of [people's] doorsteps."
He said Extension 6 residents couldn't leave home without stepping in mud and foul water.
Several cars were trapped in the water and deep mud throughout the Sunday night and Monday morning, Qotoyi said.
He reported residents' claims that contractors who put in sewage infrastructure failed to build proper drainage systems.
Algoa FM reported on Tuesday morning 7 April that a man was missing after a vehicle was swept from a bridge in the Coega area. Algoa FM also reported that five people were swept away in the Bashe River near Ngcobo.
