Hundreds of residents, mostly in informal settlements, had to be evacuated as heavy showers wreaked chaos throughout the city on Sunday, flooding homes and roads as rivers burst their banks.
Once again, poor Capetonians have been hardest hit. Hundreds had to be evacuated from shacks in low lying areas. Others spent the night cold and wet.
Swamped with calls, the city's disaster services could not give the extent of the damage last night, but said at least 1 000 people in informal areas were flooded out.
And there is more bad weather to come. The SA weather office has warned that very cold, wet and windy conditions, as well as snowfalls, are expected in high-lying areas today and tomorrow.
Both the Liesbeeck and Black rivers burst their banks yesterday, flooding parts of Rondebosch, Newlands and Observatory. Homes were flooded and cars submerged.
On the banks of the Liesbeeck, River Club owner Dewald Swanepoel waded waist deep with his umbrella.
"The entire parking lot is under water," said restaurant manager Andre Kalenda. They had evacuated all patrons when the river was near to bursting its banks, but several buildings were flooded.
A flooded M5 freeway had to be closed.
Meanwhile, torrents of water sent boulders and sediment tumbling down Camps Bay Drive last night, and a landslide blocked the outgoing lane at Kloof Nek.
Above Newlands Avenue, Albert Vianello's wall was pushed over as a stream grew to a flood.
"The tributary couldn't take it. With all the pressure against the vibrocrete wall, the water pushed it over and it gushed down over people's houses.
"You know, we're living on the mountain. So we're competing with nature here," he said.
"There has been widespread flooding across the city and it's very difficult to tell the extent of the damage at this stage," said Greg Pillay, head of the city's Disaster Risk Management Centre. "A lot of rivers and canals are going over their banks."
About 200 people were evacuated from shacks in Ocean View and taken in at a community centre, disaster spokesperson Charlotte Powell said.
Nearby Masiphumelele was also flooded. Many areas across the Cape Flats were hard hit, Powell said.
Another 800 people affected by flooding in Gugulethu were given hot meals and blankets by the Red Cross and NGO Mustadafin while 50 homes were flooded in Hanover Park.
"There's a lot of water in these houses," said Thembisile Qhapha, a resident of Taiwan in Site C, Khayelitsha. Taiwan is without drainage and prone to flooding in winter.
Qhapha said 24 homes were flooded.
At the Egoli informal settlement near Ottery, Nikki Schwartz said homes of about 200 people were flooded and community leaders tried to find alternative accommodation.
At the Blikkiesdorp informal settlement in Delft, community leader Beverly Jacobs said she and her three children were forced to spend the night in their flooded home.
"Some of the houses are flooding with water. It's about ankle deep. Some people are staying at other people's houses, but many don't have alternatives."
Traffic spokesperson Merle Lourens reported rockfalls on Faure Marine Drive between Gordon's Bay and Rooi Els.
Overberg disaster manager Reinhard Geldenhuys said parts of Grabouw and nearby informal settlements were flooding last night. "We're busy investigating reports of dwellings flooding, but so far there's heavy water in the town. The municipality and fire services are on site and they're putting sandbags down."
He said there had been no reports of flooding in the Overstrand area.
Last night, there were also no reports of flooding in the Winelands district and Eden (George) municipalities.
The weather service predicted colder conditions in the city today with a 60 percent chance of showers, but the rain was not expected to be as heavy as yesterday.
Rainfall was predicted to continue on Wednesday with a sunny respite later in the week.
- Cape Times
Once again, poor Capetonians have been hardest hit. Hundreds had to be evacuated from shacks in low lying areas. Others spent the night cold and wet.
Swamped with calls, the city's disaster services could not give the extent of the damage last night, but said at least 1 000 people in informal areas were flooded out.
And there is more bad weather to come. The SA weather office has warned that very cold, wet and windy conditions, as well as snowfalls, are expected in high-lying areas today and tomorrow.
Both the Liesbeeck and Black rivers burst their banks yesterday, flooding parts of Rondebosch, Newlands and Observatory. Homes were flooded and cars submerged.
On the banks of the Liesbeeck, River Club owner Dewald Swanepoel waded waist deep with his umbrella.
"The entire parking lot is under water," said restaurant manager Andre Kalenda. They had evacuated all patrons when the river was near to bursting its banks, but several buildings were flooded.
A flooded M5 freeway had to be closed.
Meanwhile, torrents of water sent boulders and sediment tumbling down Camps Bay Drive last night, and a landslide blocked the outgoing lane at Kloof Nek.
Above Newlands Avenue, Albert Vianello's wall was pushed over as a stream grew to a flood.
"The tributary couldn't take it. With all the pressure against the vibrocrete wall, the water pushed it over and it gushed down over people's houses.
"You know, we're living on the mountain. So we're competing with nature here," he said.
"There has been widespread flooding across the city and it's very difficult to tell the extent of the damage at this stage," said Greg Pillay, head of the city's Disaster Risk Management Centre. "A lot of rivers and canals are going over their banks."
About 200 people were evacuated from shacks in Ocean View and taken in at a community centre, disaster spokesperson Charlotte Powell said.
Nearby Masiphumelele was also flooded. Many areas across the Cape Flats were hard hit, Powell said.
Another 800 people affected by flooding in Gugulethu were given hot meals and blankets by the Red Cross and NGO Mustadafin while 50 homes were flooded in Hanover Park.
"There's a lot of water in these houses," said Thembisile Qhapha, a resident of Taiwan in Site C, Khayelitsha. Taiwan is without drainage and prone to flooding in winter.
Qhapha said 24 homes were flooded.
At the Egoli informal settlement near Ottery, Nikki Schwartz said homes of about 200 people were flooded and community leaders tried to find alternative accommodation.
At the Blikkiesdorp informal settlement in Delft, community leader Beverly Jacobs said she and her three children were forced to spend the night in their flooded home.
"Some of the houses are flooding with water. It's about ankle deep. Some people are staying at other people's houses, but many don't have alternatives."
Traffic spokesperson Merle Lourens reported rockfalls on Faure Marine Drive between Gordon's Bay and Rooi Els.
Overberg disaster manager Reinhard Geldenhuys said parts of Grabouw and nearby informal settlements were flooding last night. "We're busy investigating reports of dwellings flooding, but so far there's heavy water in the town. The municipality and fire services are on site and they're putting sandbags down."
He said there had been no reports of flooding in the Overstrand area.
Last night, there were also no reports of flooding in the Winelands district and Eden (George) municipalities.
The weather service predicted colder conditions in the city today with a 60 percent chance of showers, but the rain was not expected to be as heavy as yesterday.
Rainfall was predicted to continue on Wednesday with a sunny respite later in the week.
- Cape Times
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