It's still brewing in Cape van storms

It’s still brewing in Cape van storms

Henry
Henry Walsh

Several weather warnings apply again on Thursday for large parts of the Western Cape where heavy rain continues to fall.

Numerous dams have already given way due to the heavy rains of the past few days and bridges and even hospitals have now also flooded.

Charlotte Powell, spokeswoman for the City of Cape Town’s disaster management centre, confirmed on Thursday morning that the Melomed private hospital in Tokai is under water after the Keyser River burst its bank again.

The metro’s roads and infrastructure management services are currently on the scene to divert water.

The banks of the Eersteriver, Kuils River and Mosselbank have now also burst due to the heavy rain. Surrounding properties, including in Zandvlei, Macassar, Philadelphia and Klipheuwel, are affected by this.

Meanwhile, flooding was also reported in the vicinity of Joostenbergvlakte after a farm dam’s embankment also gave way.

Powell says numerous roads in Cape Town have flooded while trees have been uprooted.

The metro is also aware of mudslides in the Oudeskip area in Hangberg, Hout Bay and a house in Vredehoek where a wall gave way due to the heavy rain.

“The city’s services are doing everything possible to deal with the effects of the weather, but continuous rainfall is a challenge,” says Powell.

The road at the Huguenot tunnel near the Paarl is under water and closed for clean-up work.

Meanwhile, relief organizations are scrambling to deliver aid to residents in flooded informal settlements.

Solidarity Helping Hand’s Ons Plek center in Strand has been transformed into a refuge for residents of Kay’s caravan park who had to be evacuated due to flash floods.

Joey Lötter, manager of Ons Plek Strand, says residents of the caravan park were hit by floodwaters around 01:00 on Wednesday morning. About 280 people were affected.

AfriForum and the City of Cape Town’s disaster management team had to help rescue some residents from their homes. Animal organizations also helped take all the dogs and some cats to safety.

The South African Weather Service (SAWD) on Thursday issued a yellow level 6 warning against disruptive rain in the City of Cape Town and most parts of the Cape Wine Country. A yellow level 2 warning is currently in effect in the southern parts of the West Coast, South Eastern Cape Wine Country and western Overberg districts.

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