Six people have lost their lives, and tens of thousands of residents have been affected after heavy rain, flooding, and strong winds swept across the Western Cape.
The City of Cape Town said assessments are continuing after flooding was reported in at least 26 informal settlements across the metro.
According to the South African Weather Service, some mountainous areas have already recorded between 150mm and 200mm of rainfall.
The Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness confirmed six weather-related deaths since the first cold front reached the province last week.
Western Cape Storm Death Toll Rises To Six
The fatalities were reported in several towns across the province. In Knysna, Wynberg and George, people were killed when trees fell on them. In Worcester, one person died after falling from a roof.
Another person was killed when a tree fell in Genadendal, while one person drowned in Klaarstroom in the Meiringspoort area.
The City of Cape Town’s Disaster Risk Management spokesperson, Charlotte Powell, said preliminary figures show that 10,703 structures have been damaged by the severe weather, affecting about 41,635 people.
“We are working closely with our humanitarian relief partners who have already started assisting with meals and blankets in some of the affected areas – this relief will be extended as assessments are concluded,” Powell said.
Cape Town Flood Damage Impacts More Than 10,700 Structures
Powell said the results of ongoing assessments are being submitted to the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa), which is responsible for providing humanitarian assistance, as well as the National Department of Human Settlements.
“In terms of infrastructure impacts, multiple roads have been flooded across the metropole, with some incidents impacting surrounding properties. The Roads and Infrastructure Management Department is attending to these incidents – areas that have already been attended to include Phola Park, Fisantekraal, Bonteheuwel, Parow, Bellville, and Hout Bay.
Teams are also continuing efforts to restore electricity outages in affected areas and clear trees that have been uprooted or lost branches due to the strong winds,” Powell said.
She said weather conditions are expected to ease on Tuesday.
“We remind the public to please report service requests via the City’s various channels: The Call Centre on 0860 103 089 or online via the City website or the City App. Incidents that pose an immediate threat to life or property should be reported to the Public Emergency Communication Centre on 021 480 7700,” Powell said.
Flooded Roads And Traffic Light Failures Disrupt Travel In Cape Town
Several roads remain underwater following days of relentless rain.
The City’s Traffic Services spokesperson, Kevin Jacobs, said Borcherds Quarry Road from the N2 inbound has been closed, along with sections of Old Mamre and Darling roads towards Atlantis between Philadelphia and Klein Dassenberg.
“Some affected roads have lane closures in place, and we ask that motorists please exercise caution and look out for any obstructions on their journey. Please reduce your speed, drive with your headlights on to increase visibility, and increase your following distance,” Jacobs said.
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He said traffic lights in several parts of the city have also been affected by the weather.
“A reminder to treat affected intersections as four-way stops by allowing other vehicles to proceed if they got there first and giving everyone a fair opportunity to cross safely. Our Driving Licence Testing Centres are all open today.
“However, some facilities have sustained damage because of the weather, while a few continue to struggle with intermittent network connectivity. We ask the public to please be mindful of these challenges when visiting a DTLC, and to defer non-essential visits until the weather clears, where possible,” Jacobs said.
