The City of Cape Town says that its disaster risk management centre remains on high alert as inclement weather conditions continues to batter the Cape. A number of weather related incidents have been reported across the province.
At the same time…
More than 100 people have been displaced after their structures were destroyed in a fire in Nyanga at the weekend. The City’s Disaster Risk Management’s Sonica Lategan says that further provision of humanitarian relief is being provided by the Gift of the Givers and SASSA has also been requested to provide soft relief in the form of blankets, baby packs, vanity products and food parcels.
At the same time….
More than a thousand people in Kayamandi in Stellenbosch have been left displaced after a fire destroyed more than 300 informal structures at the weekend. Officials say the strong winds lashing the Cape made firefighting efforts difficult but the blaze was eventually brought under control. The cause of that fire is still not known.
Meanwhile….
On our roads, various routes have been closed due to trees blowing onto the roadway and strong winds causing road infrastructure being blocked by debris. The City’s Traffic Services Kevin Jacobs says traffic officials remain on high alert to deal with roadways being blocked and to ensure motorists are directed onto alternative routes….
Also….
Western Cape Premier Alan Winde is urging tourists to refrain from travelling to the Overberg area if possible as inclement weather continues to batter the province and particularly be affecting that area hard. According to the South African Weather Service, a significant weather system, including a cut-off low, is approaching the Western Cape. The premier says that the decision was made to keep schools in the Overberg, Cape Winelands and Helderberg areas closed today after the Weather Service issued a level 9 warning for damaging winds and rain across the province. Winde says his government doesn’t want to close schools but they need to remain cautious..
In other parts of the country…
KwaZulu-Natal’s Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Department says disaster management teams are on high alert as disruptive weather is expected along the province’s coastline today. The South African Weather Service has warned residents of level 4 rains which could result in localised flooding.
Moving to your international news….
Where tens of thousands of people have been evacuated from 10 northern regions in Kazakhstan because of areas flooding. Officials say the floods had been caused by melting snow. Across the border in Russia, an oil refinery has had to stop operations because of the floods. The Kremlin has warned that water levels in some areas are rising faster than at any time in the last 100 years. Russian authorities say that nearly 4,500 people living near the Kazakhstan border had to be evacuated.
