Shack dwellers spent Sunday mopping up after the first storm of the winter season lashed Cape Town on Saturday, flooding several informal settlements and removing a 14m-high sculpture from its perch.
But the weather office said Cape Town was unlikely to see much worse than on Saturday, when 1 700 people in 28 informal settlements were directly affected by the heavy rains.
According to Cape Town Disaster Management, the worst flooded areas were: Lotus Park, Lusaka and New Rest in Guguletu, Du Noon in Milnerton, Freedom Farm in Belhar, Kosovo in Phillipi, BT Section in Khayelitsha Site C, TRA Section in Masiphumelele and Masisendani near Strandfontein.
Like many of her neighbours Nosibusiso Ndlovu, a resident of Taiwan in Site C, Khayelitsha, used yesterday's relatively good weather to clear her shack after the rain caused pools to form inside on Saturday night.
"Saturday was much worse - we had to use buckets to carry out the water," she said, pointing to the front entrance of her shack.
Thembisile Qhapha, a community leader in Taiwan, said many people could not prevent their homes being flooded because the informal settlement was on low ground.
"People have been digging little trenches to try to stem the flow of water into their homes. It has helped to relieve the problem, which could have been worse," said Qhapha.
Thando Sindelo, of BT Section, spent two nights away from his shack because of a leaking roof and flooding.
"I couldn't sleep here because it was flooded - my bed was also soaked because the rain came through the roof."
In Gardens, a strong gust on Saturday caused a 14m high statue made of recycled steel and granite to topple outside Longkloof Studios.
Charlotte Powell, a spokeswoman for Cape Town Disaster Management, said the worst hit areas were on the Cape Flats, because of the high water table and limited run-off capacity.
By late yesterday, she said, only Blue Hall in BT Section was being used to house those left homeless by the floods. She said the city's transport, roads and stormwater directorate was providing sand at informal settlements and the housing department was assessing the damage to homes and providing flood kits where required.
She said no major roads had been closed and no rockfalls or mudslides had been reported.
Keith Moir, a forecaster at the Cape Town weather office, said all the "action" happened on Saturday and the weather would improve this week.
"There's no rain on Tuesday, clear skies on Wednesday and from Thursday we'll get back into a maritime flow off the sea with foggy areas, but some rain is expected in bits and pieces on Friday," said Moir.
- Cape Times
But the weather office said Cape Town was unlikely to see much worse than on Saturday, when 1 700 people in 28 informal settlements were directly affected by the heavy rains.
According to Cape Town Disaster Management, the worst flooded areas were: Lotus Park, Lusaka and New Rest in Guguletu, Du Noon in Milnerton, Freedom Farm in Belhar, Kosovo in Phillipi, BT Section in Khayelitsha Site C, TRA Section in Masiphumelele and Masisendani near Strandfontein.
Like many of her neighbours Nosibusiso Ndlovu, a resident of Taiwan in Site C, Khayelitsha, used yesterday's relatively good weather to clear her shack after the rain caused pools to form inside on Saturday night.
| 'Saturday was much worse' |
Thembisile Qhapha, a community leader in Taiwan, said many people could not prevent their homes being flooded because the informal settlement was on low ground.
"People have been digging little trenches to try to stem the flow of water into their homes. It has helped to relieve the problem, which could have been worse," said Qhapha.
Thando Sindelo, of BT Section, spent two nights away from his shack because of a leaking roof and flooding.
"I couldn't sleep here because it was flooded - my bed was also soaked because the rain came through the roof."
In Gardens, a strong gust on Saturday caused a 14m high statue made of recycled steel and granite to topple outside Longkloof Studios.
Charlotte Powell, a spokeswoman for Cape Town Disaster Management, said the worst hit areas were on the Cape Flats, because of the high water table and limited run-off capacity.
By late yesterday, she said, only Blue Hall in BT Section was being used to house those left homeless by the floods. She said the city's transport, roads and stormwater directorate was providing sand at informal settlements and the housing department was assessing the damage to homes and providing flood kits where required.
She said no major roads had been closed and no rockfalls or mudslides had been reported.
Keith Moir, a forecaster at the Cape Town weather office, said all the "action" happened on Saturday and the weather would improve this week.
"There's no rain on Tuesday, clear skies on Wednesday and from Thursday we'll get back into a maritime flow off the sea with foggy areas, but some rain is expected in bits and pieces on Friday," said Moir.
- Cape Times
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