CAPE TOWN, June 9 (Xinhua) -- Wildfires continued unabated in Knysa, a tourist resort in southern South Africa on Friday, prompting authorities to declare the town a disaster area.
One more person was confirmed killed on Friday, bringing the death toll to five since the fires broke out on Tuesday.
The fires have gutted more than 300 properties, displacing over 10,000 people.
Meanwhile, five people have gone missing in Knysna after fires ravaged the area, according to humanitarian group Gift of the Givers.
"The popular tourism destination of Knysna has been declared a disaster area after 20 suburbs and informal settlements were devastated by the most destructive fires in recent history," Tourism Minister Tokozile Xasa announced.
"We send our condolences to people who have been bereaved by this terrible disaster," said Xasa.
She appealed to people throughout South Africa to support those in need, and to contribute to the various relief initiatives that are underway in whatever way they can.
The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has dispatched troops and helicopters to help more than 800 firefighters trying to contain the fires.
As bad weather conditions are expected to continue over the weekend, aerial operations will be complicated, said Colin Deiner, head of disaster management in the Western Cape Province.
The fires, fanned by gale winds, have spread to nearby towns of Plettenberg Bay, Eden District and Sedgefield, all tourist resorts along the well-known Garden Route.
The fires also affected a large number of international tourists.
The Southern Africa Tourism Services Association has established an operations centre for medical emergencies, reporting missing people, lost passports and repatriation requests. The centre also offers trauma counselling services.
"Once the situation has been stabilized and these urgent priorities have been addressed, we will need to assess the full impact on tourism facilities and attractions in the region, as tourism is a key contributor to our economy," Xasa said.
Also on Friday, President Jacob Zuma said the government has dispatched humanitarian and other support to all the affected areas, especially the poor communities, which is being coordinated through the National Joint Operations Center, working with the Western Cape Provincial Government and Provincial Disaster Management teams.
"We are extremely concerned by the loss of life, displacement of people and total devastation that have been visited on the residents of the Western Cape including Knysna, Plettenburg Bay in the Cape Peninsula and all affected areas as a result of the severe weather and heavy storms," Zuma said.
