Flooding hits 16 000 in CT
2008-07-07 19:22
Cape Town - About 16 000 people and 3 500 structures had been affected by flooding, most of them in low-lying areas of the Cape Flats, the city said in a statement.
About 3 000 people were being housed in community halls: the rest were experiencing "extreme discomfort".
Thousands of people have been displaced by flooding, the city said on Monday, as the Weather Service predicted more rain.
Disaster management response teams were continuing mopping-up operations, and relief, including food and blankets, was being provided by a range of non-governmental organisations.
Three community halls and a sports complex had been opened to flooding victims.
The city's stormwater staff were "pumping out" stagnant water at various informal settlements to reduce health risks.
The Weather Service has indicated that the heavy rain will persist until Wednesday evening.
"The preparedness and response strategy of the City of Cape Town has been stepped up and the disaster-response teams are on full alert," said the statement.
No major rain-related problems had been experienced on the main highways.
It said residents could reduce their vulnerability to flooding by, among other things, raising the floor level of their homes to be higher than the land outside, and moving to higher ground if they stayed in a flood-prone area.
- SAPA