Heavy rain leads to flooding havoc in the Western Cape. Image: Facebook/Cape Winelands District Municipality.
PICS AND VIDEOS: Storms leave a trail of destruction across Western Cape
Severe rainfall in the Western Cape caused widespread flooding. From Cape Town to Cederberg, municipalities are dealing with the impacts.
Heavy rain leads to flooding havoc in the Western Cape. Image: Facebook/Cape Winelands District Municipality.
Heavy downpours associated with passing cold fronts led to severe flooding in parts of the Western Cape on Wednesday and Thursday. Rescue and mopping-up operations continued in affected parts of the province throughout the day.
Severe Flooding and Power Outages: Cape Municipalities Battle the Aftermath of Storms
The South African Weather Service (SAWS) issued an Orange Level 6 warning for disruptive rain in the City of Cape Town and Cape Winelands on Wednesday and Thursday.
In the City of Cape Town, there were numerous reports of rivers that overflowed and caused flooding.
READ: PICS: Over 50 people rescued in flood-hit Wolseley
When parts of the Lourens River burst its banks on Wednesday, it led to the flooding of an Eskom substation that left parts of the Helderberg area without electricity for an extended period. Power was restored on Thursday.
In an update on Thursday, Disaster Risk Management Centre spokesperson Charlotte Powell said a farm dam had collapsed in Joostenberg Vlakte and caused flooding of surrounding properties.
READ:WATCH: Citrusdal in lockdown after floods wash away roads
The Melomed Hospital in Tokai also flooded after the Keyser River burst its banks for the second time on Thursday morning.
“The City’s services are doing everything possible to deal with the impacts of the weather, but intermittent rainfall is a challenge.
“The five-day forecast indicates that more rain is in the offing, although we await confirmation from the SA Weather Service about the forecast and any potential impacts,” said Powell.
READ: Cape Town weather update: More rivers burst their banks, causing flooding
At the time of writing, Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis was in Retreat to assess the area’s heavy flooding. The flooding has also affected Philippi, Strand, Gugulethu, Mfuleni, Masiphumelele, and Khayelitsha.
On Thursday, GroundUp reported that residents in flooded informal settlements need blankets and food. Some learners also missed their exams.
Nosiphiwe Kori, a community leader in Vygieskraal, told the news agency that residents need help with blankets and warm food.
READ: Franschhoek Pass closed due to rockfalls
A leader in Bloekombos, Kraaifontein, told GroundUp that people had started taking to Facebook to plead for a place to sleep as their homes were flooded.
Further afield, the Executive Mayor of the Cape Winelands District Municipality, Elna von Schlicht, encouraged residents to avoid travelling this long weekend to keep the roads clear and make the clean-up process easier.
“The severity of the weather over the last few days has had a significant impact on our daily lives. Citizens across the district have been affected. The stormy weather is expected to persist through the weekend and into next week,” said the mayor.
The Cederberg District Municipality said the town of Citrusdal was cut-off after flood water washed away the access road; dozens of people in the municipality have also been rescued and relocated.
In the town of Wolseley – in the Breede Valley Municipality – the Western Cape Police Dive Unit have helped local authorities rescue at least 54 people trapped in their homes by floodwater.
The floods also hit Paarl in the Drakenstein Municipality, and the municipality opted to shut several roads until further notice.
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