A torrential downpour caused chaos in Pretoria and surrounding areas on Tuesday afternoon.
Trees were uprooted, houses and businesses flooded and commuters left stranded.
Traffic was gridlocked as city motorists struggled to make their way home in the heavy downpour.
Traffic moved at a snail's pace in several streets, including Vermeulen, Proes, Prinsloo, Edward, Struben, Paul Kruger, Van der Walt and DF Malan Drive.
Commuters travelling to Atteridgeville, Mamelodi, Ga-Rankuwa, Mabopane, Hammanskraal and Soshanguve were left stranded as taxi drivers struggled to make their way into the city centre.
Several business in Voortrekkers Road were flooded.
Trees were uprooted in Rietondale, which was severely affected by the heavy downpour.
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Five trees fell in Buffels and Nuffield streets.
Houses in the area were also flooded and residents battled on Tuesday night to clear the debris.
Sonia Roux, whose house was flooded, said the heavy downpour uprooted a tree in the yard and damaged her wall.
Roux said the water in her house was ankle-deep.
"Just recently I told my mother how beautiful our garden looked and that the trees were perfectly arranged.
"Now we will have to start all over again with the garden," said Roux.
Tshwane Emergency Services spokesperson Johan Pieterse said on Tuesday night areas in the north of Pretoria were the hardest hit by the heavy downpour.
He said there were also several accidents.
One of them involved a taxi on the N4 highway.
Several passengers were injured, said Pieterse.
He said the basement parking at the Jakaranda shopping centre in Rietfontein was flooded and plans were being made to pump out the water.
"We will monitor the situation to see if there are any people who need our assistance," Pieterse said.
He said the Tshwane Metro Council's parks and horticultural division would clear the debris from the streets and remove overhanging tree branches.
- This article was originally published on page 1 of Pretoria News on December 12, 2007
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