WATCH | Severe weather strikes Cape Town: Flooding, power outages, damage affect residents

Weather

Severe weather conditions in Cape Town have led to significant disruptions on the city’s roadways, prompting advice for motorists to stay informed and consider alternate routes.

Cape Town Traffic Officers are working diligently to manage multiple road closures caused by adverse weather. Some key road closures include:

  1. Jakes Gerwel Road: Closed in both directions between Klipfontein and Turfhall roads.
  2. Baden Powell Drive: Closed between Capricorn and Strandfontein Road.
  3. Phillip Kgosana Drive: Incoming traffic is closed at Nelson Mandela Boulevard.
  4. Milton Road: Closed between Townsend Road and Jakes Gerwel Drive.
  5. Granger Bay Boulevard: Closed between Helen Suzman and Fritz Sonnenberg.
  6. Bottelary Road: Closed between Botfontein Road and R304.
  7. Gordons Bay Main Road: Closed between Broadlands Road and Onverwacht Street.

Motorists are urged to stay updated on road closures and consider alternative routes due to the severe weather conditions in Cape Town.

 

Cape Town – Cape Town is experiencing a series of severe weather-related incidents that have impacted both informal settlements and formal housing areas.

House flooding has been reported in several areas, including Durbanville, Bo-Kaap, Schaapkraal, Bellville South, Belhar, Sandvlei Macassar, Strand, Gordons Bay, and Knorhoek.

Emergency services have been called to rescue individuals trapped in flooded homes and assess the damage caused by storms, including blown-off roofs and damaged structures.

“Emergency services have assisted four persons trapped in a house in Strand and evacuated them to Strand Fire station. The roof was blown off a private property in the CBD, while a NUTEC dwelling in Hout Bay was also damaged due to wind,” IOL quoted Disaster Risk Management spokesperson Charlotte Powell as saying.

Powell said that assessments will determine exact damage.

In addition to flooding, the adverse weather conditions have disrupted the city’s electricity supply in various areas, including Philippi, Gugulethu, Eastridge, Steenberg, Wetton, Bellville, Plattekloof, Green Point, and Pinati Estate.

Restoration efforts are being hampered by the damaged infrastructure and ongoing stormy weather. Repair work on overhead lines depends on improved weather conditions for safety reasons, and Eskom’s load-shedding adds to the challenges, affecting service requests and restoration times, the report said.

Residents have reported high call volumes as they seek assistance for storm-related damage, but response teams are facing difficulties due to the extent of the damage caused by the severe weather conditions.

Assessments are ongoing to determine the full extent of the damage and to coordinate recovery efforts.

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Compiled by Betha Madhomu

 

Severe storm, flooding and mudslides: Western Cape activates disaster management

Cape Town – Western Cape authorities have activated the provincial Disaster Management Centre in response to an approaching storm that the South African Weather Service (SAWS) now predicts to be more severe than initially expected.

SAWS issued an orange level nine warning for the region, forecasting rainfall in excess of 100 millimeters and potential flooding downstream due to full catchments.

“Widespread showers and thundershowers can be expected across western, central, and southern South Africa, particularly from Sunday onwards. However, notable uncertainty exists regarding the position and spatial distribution of the cut-off low at this time and further analysis will be required. Subsequent media releases will be issued leading up to the event…

“On Monday, the Eastern Cape’s coastal areas and the Western Cape’s south coast will experience continued gale-force winds. The cut-off low is expected to move away from the country on Tuesday,” said SAWS.

According to EWN, Overberg Disaster Management chief Reynard Geldenhuys noted that this was the highest weather warning level ever issued for the region, and Western Cape MEC for local government Anton Bredell warned of flash floods and mudslides.

Widespread flooding is expected in the Overberg, Garden Route, and parts of the Cape Winelands.

The City of Cape Town Disaster Management urged caution on the roads and provided safety tips, including clearing drainage systems and reporting weather-related emergencies to the city’s Public Emergency Communication Centre.

“Clearing out drainage systems, raising the floor level of a structure so that it is higher than the natural ground level, making sandbags, digging trenches around the house to divert water away, [and] reporting blocked drains, intakes and illegal dumping,” the report quoted City of Cape Town Disaster Management spokesperson Charlotte Powell as saying.

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Compiled by Betha Madhomu

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