Thursday, June 17, 2010

CT mops up after floods, fire

Cape Town - Disaster teams in Cape Town were mopping up on Wednesday after floods and a blaze hit more than 2 100 shack dwellers.

The teams were placed on high alert at the weekend for bad weather that saw heavy rains, gale force winds, very cold conditions, widespread snowfalls and rough seas, the city said in a statement.

"Relief operations are continuing to get the situation back to normal," Greg Pillay, head of the disaster risk management centre told AFP.

The fire swept through an informal settlement in scenic Hout Bay on Tuesday evening, coming under control early on Wednesday after 60 homes were destroyed which left 250 people homeless.

This followed the flooding of 900 shacks in several areas that affected 1 900 people.

"The City of Cape Town's Disaster Response Teams are out in full force assisting flood victims, while still ensuring that contingency plans can be activated for the duration of the 2010 FIFA World Cup," the city said in a statement.

Cape Town has cold, wet winters with snow reported on the top of the landmark Table Mountain on Tuesday.

- AFP

No comments: