Thousands Left homeless After Torrential Rain Wreaked Havoc in Western Cape

Picture courtesy: (Gift of the Givers) Over 1,100 informal structures have been completely destroyed and thousands are left homeless after heavy rains in the western Cape.

(The Post News)- The South African Weather Service (SAWS) announced a Level 8 warning, leading to thousands of residents being displaced over the weekend in the Western Cape.

Around 4,000 people were left homeless, and at least 1,000 homes were destroyed.

Heavy rains, resulting in flooding and strong winds, battered parts of the province and were further exacerbated by a new series of cold fronts on Sunday.

Several areas in the Western Cape are buckling below the heavy rain and damaging, strong winds, including the plummeting temperatures, with snow falling in the Boland and Koue Bokkeveld mountains around the Karoo.

The series of cold fronts that occurred during the early hours of Sunday, July 7, according to the forecast, will continue during the week.

The South African Weather Service (Saws) stated that it adjusted its warning for damaging winds between the 6 and 8 levels for Sunday and expected widespread structural damage to informal and formal settlements.

Sunday’s series of cold fronts was followed by gale-force around westerly to northwesterly winds of 70–90 km/h, raising up to 120 km/h around the City of Cape Town, including the Drakenstein, Stellenbosch, Overstrand, and Theewaterskloof municipalities. 

Western Cape Premier Alan Winde warns the residents to travel only if it’s necessary during the inclement weather. 
The flooding in Cape Town had caused roads to be closed as a precaution for safety. 

Those roads are 35th Street and Owen Road, Elsies River, including the FW de Klerk Boulevard outbound at Marine Drive; adding the Beach and Coronation roads, Maitland; Belrail Road before Adam Tas Street, Bellville, to the list; NY3A at Nyanga train station; and Manenberg Avenue and Thames Walk, Manenberg.

Eskom reported that the line faults affected Tulbagh, Rawsonville, the Hex River Valley, and Belhar in the City of Cape Town. 

Those faults are being addressed to restore power connectivity. 

The weather service has also added that the resistance should be alert as it can also be an additional fire danger for the Garden Route District, which will be caused by the heavy winds in the coming days.

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