Eight people electrocuted; About a thousand structures affected, following Cape Storms

Eight people were electrocuted in Cape Town over the long weekend, as adverse weather conditions caused havoc in the Western Cape.

PICTURE: X- @Floodlist

The City of Cape Town’s Disaster Risk Management spokesperson, Charlotte Powell, said four people died in the Covid -19 informal settlement in Driftsands, as well as four children in the Klipfontein area.

Giving an update on Tuesday morning, Powell said mop-up operations are continuing.

She said emergency services assisted six children trapped in three different houses in Strand and evacuated them to Strand Fire station.  Residents were evacuated from a retirement village in Somerset West, and 170 people were evacuated to a hall in Sir Lowry’s Pass Village. Emergency teams also assisted with evacuations from Faure and Sandvlei in Macassar. Powell said residents indicated that they will seek shelter with friends and family. 

‘’A group of people was reported trapped at the Kogel Bay resort as a result of roads being closed on both sides leading to Gordon’s Bay and Rooi Els.  The Provincial Disaster Risk Management Centre assisted the City in rescue efforts,’’ said Charlotte Powell, the City of Cape Town’s Disaster Risk Management spokesperson.

She said just under a thousand structures have been impacted by flooding.

These areas were affected by flooding in informal settlements:

Shuku-Shukma & Sir Lowry’s Pass Village, Rasta Camp, Riemvasmaak, 7de Laan Sandvlei Macassar, Old Faure Driftsands, Mfuleni, Bellville South, NY111 Gugulethu, Barcelona IFS Gugulethu,  Greepark IFS Mfuleni, Thabo Mbeki IFS Philippi East, RR Section PJS Section TRA Section in Khayelitsha,  Taiwan IFS Site C Khayelitsha, Paul Avenue Macaza IFS Khayelitsha, Morkel Cottages IFS Strand, Ekuphumleni IFS Du Noon. DM Section, France IFS, QQ Section, Green Point, Qandu Qandu IFS and SST IFS, Khayelitsha, 8ste Laan IFS Valhalla Park.

Flooding of formal dwellings has also been reported in several areas, including  Durbanville, Bo-Kaap, Schaapkraal, Bellville South, Belhar, Sandvlei in Macassar, Strand, Gordons Bay, Knorhoek, Scottsdene and Hout Bay.

Powell said a Building Inspector have attended to a house in Sir Louwrys Pass Village which was busy collapsing.

‘’Sand and milling has already started being distributed to assist affected communities, while a number of humanitarian relief agencies are assisting with meals, blankets and other supplies like baby packs.’’

Other incidents include uprooted trees, which were reported in in Hout Bay Main road, Macassar, Rondebosch East, Durbanville, Kuilsriver, Woodstock, Klipheuwel IFS, Malmesbury farms, Goodwood, Bellville, Protea Village, Uitsig, Brackenfell and Belmont Park. The Recreation and Parks is attending to these incidents.

Furthermore, rivers in Lourens- and Eersteriver  have burst its banks, and Spaanschemat River burst its bank onto M42 opposite Tokai Forest. At Wemmershoek Dam, the sluice gate was opened at stage 6 to mitigate downstream flooding but opening of gates has been downgraded to stage 3.

Powell said weather related power outages were experienced in several parts of the city, adding that electricity technicians have been attending to affected areas to restore power. 

‘’Assessments will continue today. [Tuesday]. Any incident presenting a risk to public safety should please be reported to the City’s Public Emergency Communication Centre on 021 480 7700,’’ said Charlotte Powell, the City of Cape Town’s Disaster Risk Management spokesperson.

 

Done By: Mitchum George