Cape Town – The average level for dams in the Western Cape has increased to 45.9% (2019: 45.4%) – with the Clanwilliam Dam seeing an increase of close to 10% in the past week – and heavy rains this week will boost the dams even more.
The City of Cape Town's dam levels increased to 63.5%, from 62.7% the previous week and 58.2% at the same time last year.
Anton Bredell, the Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning MEC, said in a statement on Monday the provincial dam levels are improving week on week, with more heavy rain predicted later this week.
“The latest weather warnings by the South African Weather Services indicate the next severe winter storm is on the way and expected to make landfall from Thursday evening," Bredell said.
"The storm is predicted to bring heavy rain and strong, damaging winds to large parts of the province. In addition, very cold conditions are expected in the province, including snowfall over the mountains. These conditions are expected to continue to Saturday.”
Bredell says all emergency services will be on standby in the event of an emergency.
On the weekend of 27 and 28 June, the City’s Roads and Stormwater teams, under trying circumstances, attended to 148 callouts as a result of a storm.
The work attended to ranged from flooded roads to stormwater and gulley blockages, flooding in informal settlements and flooding into formal properties.
At various rainfall stations in the northern areas, higher than normal rainfall in a matter of minutes led to localised flooding.