Cape Town - People across the province were affected by this weekend’s storm and informal settlements were swamped by the heavy downpours, with more heavy rain predicted for today.
Informal settlements affected by the heavy rainfall on Friday included Masiphumelele, Lwazi Park in Gugulethu, New Rest in Gugulethu, Kanana, Fisantekraal, Klipheuwel, Blikkiesdorp, Delft and Marikana.
Disaster Risk Management spokesperson Charlotte Powell said Zwelitsha informal settlement in Dunoon had been flooded completely as residents built their dwellings on a floodplain.
“Disaster management has appealed to residents to move their structures out of the floodplain. No engineering will assist this community as a floodplain is a natural water course,” she said.
Mischka Chachu from the Vygieskraal “Die Vlei” informal settlement in Athlone said: “The community is flooded knee-high and only one truck of black millet was delivered to the area, which is not enough.”
Chachu said the shacks were very wet and the water was coming up from under the ground.
“Our clothes are wet and damaged and the water is underneath the bed. We used more than 60 buckets to collect and throw water out the shack throughout the night,” she said.
Shacks built near the Diep Rivier in Dunoon were flooded after heavy rainfall at the weekend. The SA Weather Service has warned of more severe weather to hit the province. Picture: Henk Kruger/African News Agency (ANA)
Cars navigate their way through a flooded N2, and various informal settlements across the city having been affected by the weather. Photographer: Lubabalo Poswa/African News Agency(ANA)
The Western Cape Disaster Management Centre has been informed by the SA Weather Service that the storm may be more severe than the most recent one.
Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, Anton Bredell, said conditions along the coastal areas were expected to be severely affected with storm surges and waves of up to 12m in some areas.
“The storm is predicted to make landfall at Cape Columbine on the West Coast, whereafter it will move across the province to Cape Agulhas and later towards Plettenberg Bay tomorrow afternoon.”
Cape Town Weather Office said the warnings issued were for heavy rain leading to flooding, gale force winds, disruptive snowfall and storm surge.
The weather will start improving from late afternoon on Tuesday.
Nomzamo High School in Strand is closed after strong wind destroyed 5 class and all toilet facilities. Picture: Ayanda Ndamane/African News Agency.
Tree uprooted in Austinville Blackheath as a result of a storm that caused damage across the city. Video: Brendan Magaar/African News Agency (ANA)
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