Army helicopter flies in to rescue dozens stranded at Centurion hotel

The air force was called in on Monday to rescue scores of people trapped in flood waters as heavy rains pelted Centurion.

ER24 spokesperson Russel Meiring said paramedics were also part of the rescue operations. He said two air force helicopters had been brought in to help rescue people  trapped in a hotel in Centurion,” Meiring said.

Visuals of the chopper hovering around the hotel before airlifting people was circulated on social media.

Earlier, Tshwane emergency services told TimesLIVE that more than 30 people were stranded at the Centurion Hotel on Monday afternoon because of flooding in the area. Visuals taken from bystanders with a view of the hotel showed how vehicles parked in the courtyard were swept away in the rising waters.

EMS spokesperson Charles Mabaso said 35 stranded people had been moved to higher floors of the hotel.

“I can confirm that we have also learnt of an evacuation taking place at the hotel. Earlier when we spoke to management they had moved to the upper floors. The flooding is at the ground floor,” he said.

Meanwhile, several shacks at an informal settlement in Eerste Fabrieke, Mamelodi, have been swept away.

"We got a number of shack dwellers trapped there because of the high water. A number of them are on rooftops but we have emergency services and water technicians there," said Mabaso.

"Earlier we had reports that two children had been swept away by the water in that area, but it is not confirmed."

Displaced shack dwellers would be given alternative accommodation at Mamelodi Hall, he said.

Mabaso confirmed that several vehicles were underwater in Moloto, Pretoria north.

"We had to rescue people from a bridge there."

Informal settlements in Soshanguve were also flooded, as were low-water bridges on Rabie and End streets.

Mabaso said emergency services remained on high alert.

Twitter users have posted the extent of the flooding.