Cape Town – A day after the Western Cape town of Montagu endured heavy rain and freak hail the size of golf balls, another hail storm caused a collision between several vehicles outside Knysna on Tuesday.
Severe damage to cars, windows, roofs and solar panels, among others, had been reported in Montagu due to a hail storm after 9pm on Monday. A rockfall also caused the Cogmanskloof road between Montagu and Ashton to be closed.
On Tuesday, Western Cape traffic officials said no one was seriously injured in the multiple car accident outside Knysna after hail began pelting down.
Traffic Chief Kenny Africa said: “We had a few vehicles that were involved in accidents and slight injuries occurred. However, the hail storm was not that long and currently the situation is back to normal.
"The road itself has been reopened to traffic and is not slippery at the moment.”
In Montagu, heavy rain on Sunday and Monday led to the Keisie River, which runs through a part of the town, preventing children from being able to attend school on Tuesday, Netwerk24 reported. On Sunday 35mm of rain was recorded and 65mm on Monday.
Paul Joubert, from the farm Drie Berge, which is about 8km outside Montagu, said the hail that hit the vineyards on the farm on Monday was at first only as big as marbles, then increased to the size of walnuts and then rained down as large as golf balls.
According to the SA Weather Service, 145mm of rain fell in Riviersonderend on Monday, 48mm in Riversdale, 37mm in Swellendam, 32mm in Porterville and Kirstenbosch, 25mm in Robertson, Worcester, Struisbaai and Mossel Bay, 22mm in Ladismith.
From Gerrie Heyns
Big time hail in Montagu pic.twitter.com/MP1vzpyoU0
— Storm Report SA (@StormReportSA1) March 11, 2019