Nearly 7k strucutures damaged and over 8k people displaced in Cape Town amid storm

Residents in the Cape Town Metro have been the hardest hit amid the severe weather.

According to the Western Cape’s Provincial Disaster Management Centre, 6 928 structures across the city have been affected, impacting over 8 000 people. Since the first cold front made landfall on Sunday, around 14 000 structures have sustained damages, affecting about 15 000 people across the province.

COURTESY: Facebook - WC Live Traffic & Safety Reports

The South African Weather Service (SAWS) indicated that an Orange Level 8 warning for disruptive rain, strong winds and mudslides will persist ahead of the latest cold front that made landfall overnight. This warning remains on track for the Cape Town Metropole, Drakenstein, and Stellenbosch areas. Additionally, a Yellow Level 4 warning for damaging winds is in place for Thursday and Friday,, between Lambert’s Bay and Mossel Bay, as well as over the southern parts of Namakwa (in the Northern Cape), the Cape Town Metro, Cape Winelands, Central Karoo, Overberg and western areas of the Garden Route. A Yellow Level 4 warning has been issued for damaging waves from Alexander Bay to Plettenberg Bay for the next two days; and an Orange Level 6 warning has been issued for strong waves between Table Bay and Struisbaai for the same period.

Chief Director of Disaster Management, Colin Deiner, said there is currently no risk of an oil spill, following a sea vessel that ran aground along the West Coast earlier in the week.

‘’The situation is being closely monitored by the Western Cape Department of Local Government, Environmental Affairs, and Development Planning, along with the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA). SAMSA is coordinating the salvage operation.’’

Dam levels in affected areas continue to rise. As of Thursday morning, the Theewaterskloof dam, which supplies most of the Cape metro was at 83,8%; Berg River Dam was at 107,13%; Clanwilliam dam was at 92%; Misverstand dam was at 155%.

Eskom said that repairs to damaged power infrastructure in Khayelitsha are being impeded by flooding.

Premier Alan Winde urged residents to stay safe until the storm has passed

“Daily JOC meetings will be held until this inclement weather has passed us. I urge all residents to remain safe and not take unnecessary risks. All stakeholders – disaster management teams, law enforcement agencies, NGOs, and faith-based groups – have been working incredibly hard under terrible conditions to keep residents out of harm’s way.’’

 

Done by: Mitchum George