Cape Town mops up after storm
2009-05-18 09:02
Cape Town - A total of 497 dwellings housing 1 700 residents in 28 informal residential areas were flooded this weekend when the first of the year's vicious Cape winter storms arrived with strong wind and bouts of heavy rain.
For many residents, it heralded the start of a long fight against winter.
Additionally, twelve areas in the Cape metropole suffered from power cuts that lasted for hours and inconvenienced residents even more.
Scheduled work on the electricity network at Kenilworth left this area without power.
Heathfield, Newlands, Claremont, Pinelands, Kewtown in Athlone, Bonteheuwel, Manenberg, Parow Valley, Bellville, Retreat, Rondebosch and Observatory were without power for long stretches.
Residents of Pinelands told reporters that they heard a loud bang while the wind was blowing at gale-force. The power went off shortly afterwards and was off for more than ten hours.
The City of Cape Town, however, said the power cuts had nothing to do with the bad weather.
Wind and rain
The first winter storm of the season tested the readiness of the Cape Town disaster management team, as 28 informal residential areas were badly affected by wind and rain. Residents on the lower-lying Cape Flats had to be assisted with emergency accommodation, blankets and hot food.
Homes in Masiphumelele near Hout Bay, Blikkiesdorp in Delft, Section BT in Site C (Khayelitsha) and in Strandfontein were flooded, reported Melissa Nel.
Residents in Freedom Park in Belhar, Philippi and Du Noon were exposed to heavy rain and strong wind. A total of 497 homes were affected and residents had to be assisted.
Weather forecaster Carlton Fillis of the South African Weather Service, said although light rain was forecast for Monday, the weather was clearing up. Sunny weather is forecast for Wednesday.
Swells of between 7m and 9m are however still expected from the mouth of the Orange River to Plettenberg Bay. On Sunday morning, the swells at Slangkop and Cape Point were about 9m.
Normal winter weather is expected for the rest of the week. By Friday, rain could possibly fall again.
Fills said due to the drop in temperature, snow had been expected over the Matroosberg over the weekend, but due to the rain it wouldn't be visible and probably would have melted by Monday morning.
Due to the strong wind and rain, it felt icy cold, but the average temperature was 15°.
No emergencies, accidents
Craig Lambinon, spokesperson for the National Sea Rescue Institute, said no emergencies were reported by ships at sea.
Tristan Wadeley of the ambulance service ER24 and Merle Lourens, spokesperson of the Cape Town traffic department, said no road accidents were reported that related to the weather or wet roads.
Charlotte Powel, spokesperson for the City of Cape Town disaster management, said there was no serious flood damage, but homes in lower lying regions, within the boundaries of marshes and springs, had been flooded.