Amathole District Municipality (ADM), through its Disaster Management Unit, today continued its International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction (IDDRR) 2026 build-up programme with a visit to Sikiti Village in the Mnquma Local Municipality.

The programme forms part of ADM’s preparations towards the official commemoration of International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction on 13 October 2026, under the global theme, “Resilience Starts at Home.”

Sikiti Village is among communities in the district that remain vulnerable to natural hazards, particularly flooding. The area has experienced the devastating effects of severe weather events, highlighting the need for continued disaster preparedness, risk awareness and community-based disaster risk reduction initiatives.

The visit also reflected on the impact of the devastating disasters that affected parts of the Eastern Cape in 2025. During this period, heavy rainfall resulted in significant flooding across parts of Mnquma Local Municipality, affecting households, infrastructure and the livelihoods of communities.

In Sikiti, residents were among those affected by rising floodwaters, with some community members forced to leave their homes as water threatened residential areas. The disaster resulted in the displacement of residents, who required temporary shelter and humanitarian assistance.

The effects of the flooding extended beyond individual households, with critical infrastructure and essential services also disrupted across the wider Butterworth area. Among the infrastructure affected was the Butterworth Water Treatment Works, where flooding damaged key equipment and disrupted water production. This demonstrated the far-reaching impact disasters can have on communities and essential service delivery.

For communities such as Sikiti, which remain exposed to recurring hazards, these experiences highlight the importance of preparedness and prevention. Flooding can result in damage to homes and property, displacement of families, disruption of essential services and access routes, as well as serious risks to the safety and wellbeing of residents.

Through its engagement with the Sikiti community, the ADM Disaster Management Unit focused on strengthening awareness of local disaster risks and encouraging residents to take proactive measures to reduce the impact of future disasters.

Community members were encouraged to understand the risks within their surroundings, remain alert to early warning information, identify safe areas and evacuation routes, and work closely with authorities during emergencies.

The engagement further reinforced the importance of community participation in disaster risk reduction. Building resilient communities requires residents to be informed, prepared and actively involved in identifying and addressing risks within their communities.

As ADM continues its build-up activities towards IDDRR 2026, the municipality will conduct a number of awareness, training and practical disaster risk reduction interventions across the district.

Upcoming IDDRR Build-Up Activities

22 September 2026 – Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality

ADM will conduct training and engagement with Disaster Management Volunteers and municipal officials, with a focus on the use of SANSA Flood Simulation Maps to strengthen understanding of flood risks and support disaster preparedness.

29 September 2026 – Ngqushwa Local Municipality

A community awareness campaign will be conducted, focusing on the 2026 IDDRR theme, “Resilience Starts at Home,” and encouraging residents to take responsibility for disaster preparedness and risk reduction within their households and communities.

ADM will conduct Disaster Risk Assessment Tool training for Disaster Management Volunteers and municipal officials. The programme will also include the clearing and unblocking of stormwater drains in town as a practical intervention aimed at reducing flood risks and improving community resilience