DEVELOPING | Western Cape enters recovery phase after flood and storm damage | News24 (2024)

Cape of storms: Preliminary findings of storm impact on tourism industry show Overberg and Cape Winelands hardest hit

Following the extreme weather over the Heritage weekend, the Western Cape Department of Economic Development and Tourism is hard at work to fully understand the impact of the storm specifically on tourism and hospitality businesses across the province.

WATCH | Franschhoek Pass closed indefinitely due to flood damage

While the Western Cape Government’s Road and Infrastructure Department cannot yet give an indication of how long repairs to the R45 Franschhoek pass may take, Stellenbosch Municipality has indicated that damage to infrastructure in Franschhoek due to the recent devastating floods could run into millions of rand.

Western Cape enters recovery mode after heavy rains, strong winds wreak havoc

The Western Cape has entered the recovery phase after heavy rains and strong winds wreaked havoc across parts of the province.

On Friday, the provincial government provided a follow-up update on disaster management efforts following the severe weather that battered the province over the long weekend.

Local Government MEC Anton Bredell told the media mop-up operations were underway in areas affected by significant flood damage.

MEC Bredell has urged holidaymakers during the school holiday or over the weekend to postpone their trip as a precaution, if possible.

- Marvin Charles

Jandre Bakker from the department of infrastructure says significant damage was done during the severe flooding and strong winds.

The number of road closures has dropped to 68.

- Marvin Charles

Bredell says they have a "headache" with regard to the water shortage in Hermanus.

Critical water infrastructure was washed away, leaving some areas without water since Monday.

- Marvin Charles

MEC for local government Anton Bredell says the roads in some areas are still dangerous and urges the public to be cautious.

- Marvin Charles

Western Cape Premier Alan Winde will provide a follow-up update on the provincial Government’s disaster management efforts following the inclement weather that battered the province recently. This update will focus specifically on the recovery and rehabilitation phase that we have now entered.

- Marvin Charles

No water in Hermanus after flooding damages infrastructure, Whale Festival cancelled

Hermanus residents are queueing for water from tankers after heavy rains and ensuing flooding washed away critical infrastructure over the weekend.

Some areas have been without water since Monday.

In a statement, Overberg District Municipality emergency services manager Reinard Geldenhuys said the municipality was "under great pressure to restore water supply and repair critical road infrastructure".

Western Cape flood death toll rises to 11 as search for missing Kleinmond resident continues

At least 30 volunteers continued their search on Thursday for Kleinmond resident Nico du Preez, whose car was washed off a bridge with him in it during a severe storm on Monday.

Overstrand councillor Grant Cohen told News24 they have not given up on finding him and launched a BackaBuddy campaign to cover the cost of a helicopter to help in the search for him.

The City ofCape Town has recorded an accumulative 714mm of rainfall from Sunday to Monday,which resulted in extensive damages across the metropole.

The City'sdisaster risk management spokesperson, Charlotte Powell, said departments havebeen conducting assessments, and mop-up operations continue.

To date,about 16 000 people have been impacted, with around 7 100 informal structuresaffected.

"OurDisaster Management officials are busy concluding assessments in all affectedareas," she said.

Furtherassessments have also been completed in Kampies, Overcome Heights, Hangberg andRasta Camp in Ocean View to ascertain the damages as a result of sinkholes thatformed around structures in these areas.

Thirtypeople are still being accommodated in the Macassar hall.

- Marvin Charles

The City thanks its customers for their support during the extraordinary storm over the long weekend. The majority of storm-related power faults have been resolved.

See: https://t.co/H8avB2E5Ic#CTNews #Energy pic.twitter.com/HEVGjg9z26

— City of Cape Town (@CityofCT) September 28, 2023

Humanitarian relief and temporary homes top agenda as Hill-Lewis pleads for emergency funds

Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis hopes themajor incident declaration he signed on Tuesday will allow the City to unlock funds for humanitarian relief for those severely affected by the strong winds and heavy rain that made landfall over the long weekend.

He told News24: "This [the declaration] allows us to speed up our processes to hire more equipment as we need it, including bulldozers and diggers. It also allows us to unlock additional overtime budgets for our staff."

The Western Cape provincial department of agriculture says early estimates of agriculture damages amounts to R1,4 billion.

- Marvin Charles

Bredell says some areas are still without electricity and Eskom officials are hard at work to restore power to residents.

- Marvin Charles

MEC for local government Anton Bredell says better weather is expected in the coming days with a slight cold front expected on Friday, which is not concerning.

- Marvin Charles

Western Cape Premier Alan Winde, along with several other members of the provincial government, is holding a media briefing this afternoon to provide an update on the response to the storm and flooding disaster that has affected the province.

- Marvin Charles

The #CapeStorm has been devastating for beautiful Franschhoek. Mayor Gesie van Deventer and her teams are working non-stop to repair the most urgent damage. Thank you to our councillors and officials for your dedication, and to residents who have gotten stuck in to help. pic.twitter.com/cyG49VxDXg

— Leon Schreiber (@Leon_Schreib) September 27, 2023

Nearly 250 schools damaged in Western Cape floods

At least 249 Western Cape schools were damaged during heavy downpours and subsequentflooding in the Western Capeover the long weekend.

In addition, 39 schools were closed on Tuesday, and 21 were closed on Wednesday due to blocked roads. Several others reported low attendance as pupils struggled to reach schools in flood-ravaged areas.

Education MEC David Maynier visited Franschhoek High School on Wednesday. The school has been closed since the weekend and has no water or electricity. There is also substantial flooding to the access roads, making it impossible for its 650 pupils to attend school.

N1 reopens after flooding, but several Western Cape roads remain closed
The N1 highway at De Doorns has reopened after it was closed due to heavy rains and flooding over the long weekend.

Cape Winelands District Municipality spokesperson Jo-Anne Otto confirmed that the road had been reopened around 01:00 on Wednesday and was operating with a stop-and-go system.

Several other key roads in the province remain closed.

Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis tells News24 the major-incident declaration he signed on Tuesday will allow the City to unlock funds for humanitarian relief and temporary accommodation for those whose homes are still flooded.

-Marvin Charles

KwaZulu-Natal residents brace themselves after warning of damaging waves of up to 5 metres

The bad weather gods have set their sights on KwaZulu-Natal, it seems, giving the Western and Eastern Cape a reprieve from the long-weekend downpours and gale-force winds.

WATCH | 'Every year, we get no help': Cape Town residents after floods wreak havoc in their homes

After the devastating floods that swept through the Western Cape over the long weekend, many people living in the province's informal settlements had the daunting task of rebuilding and cleaning up the water, mud and dirt that flowed through their homes.

PICS | 'I went numb': Families heartbroken after 4 boys electrocuted during Cape Storm

Parents and loved ones of four children had thegruesome and heartbreaking task of pulling their bodies from a dam in the Klipfontein Mission Station informal settlement in Philippi East on Monday afternoon.

Fears that Western Cape flooding may delay grain harvest

While the Western Cape experienced one of the best seasons of winter crops this year, farmers face the threat of delays in harvesting and reduced competitiveness due to damage and lower margins, experts warn.

Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has signed a major incident declaration to unlock additional resources and relief measures to deal with the impact of heavy rainfall and strong winds that lashed the Western Cape.

-Marvin Charles

Western Cape - N2 Route (Latest): the washed away bridge at Botrivier - ROAD CLOSED Botrivier / Caledon section pic.twitter.com/sK1tUkwlgx

— TrafficSA (@TrafficSA) September 26, 2023

Cape Town - N2 Sir Lowrys Pass (Latest): Traffic restrictions for #CapeStorm clean up works - HEAVY TRAFFIC pic.twitter.com/4zJkkT9nAI

— TrafficSA (@TrafficSA) September 26, 2023

I have decided to declare a “major incident” for the flooding in Sir Lowry’s Pass Village, Rasta Kamp, and other sites of severe flooding following #CapeStorm. This will free up more resources to respond. I’m grateful to City teams working non stop and charities who are helping. pic.twitter.com/MbOilj0NYU

— Geordin Hill-Lewis (@geordinhl) September 26, 2023

'That weather was angry': McGregor appeals for essentials to be airdropped after bridge washed away

The Cape Winelands District Municipality (CWDM) has sent an urgent request to the provincial disaster management nerve centre for food, water, milk and other basics to be airdropped in McGregor, as the town remains cut off after its access bridge washed away during the severe storm that lashed the region.

It is one of the areas severely hit by the Level 9 storm, which has had a dramatic effect on travel in some parts of the province. In some areas, people had to be rescued from their homes because the roads were too flooded to escape.

On Tuesday, municipality spokesperson Jo Anne Otto said the bridge to McGregor had been washed away on Monday, and that gravel roads were so water-logged that they were too dangerous to travel on.After the long weekend, basic necessities could not be replenished because of the access problem.

Cape Town - R44 Clarence Drive (Latest): ROAD CLOSED between Gordons Bay and Rooiels - may be closed for some time #CapeStorm pic.twitter.com/bhrewCXeCi

— TrafficSA (@TrafficSA) September 26, 2023

Cape storm: Thousands left without power as severe weather lashes province

Thousands of residents in the Western Cape are still without power due to the strong winds and heavy rain that lashed the province over the long weekend.

On Tuesday, Eskom saidapproximately15 000 customers across the province were still without power.

Eskom said it had intensified efforts to restore electricity supply to customers and had significantly reduced the number of those without electricity.On Monday, more than 82 000 Eskom customers across the province were without power due to the devastating storm that caused destruction to the electricity network.

Yellow level 4 warning: Damaging waves. Valid @ 14:00 until Wednesday, 27 September 2023 @ 14:00. #capestorm #easterncape #waves #weatherupdate #weathersouthafrican #southafrican #saws #rain pic.twitter.com/WoqOGb3EOD

— SA Weather Service (@SAWeatherServic) September 26, 2023

STATEMENT:Committee on environment's chairperson calls for vigilance as floods strike along the cost line

The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Forestry, Fisheries and Environment, Mr Ntibi Modise, has called on people in the Western and Eastern Cape provinces to be vigilant of abrupt and extreme weather events that might lead to injuries and the loss of life.

Mr Modise said the unusual weather experienced in the Cape on the weekend was severe and needed people to exercise caution when outside.

"The committee is concerned about the welfare of the people especially the poor. It calls on the communities to exercise caution in all their daily activities."

Mr Modise also said late wet and cold weather is a surprise for many and might cause challenges for those communities who dwell on unstructured and unserviced settlements." He continued: "Some settlements Cape Town dwellings are built below the flood-line which brings all sorts of challenges and risks when storms and flooding occur. We are really concerned and would prefer if the City of Cape Town gets involved with meaningful intervention."

The Western Cape experienced unexpected inclement weather that led to the Cape Storms over the heritage weekend. A number of trees around the City of Cape Town had been uprooted with road closures reported across the province. A number of informal settlements were flooded, and people were left with no choice. Mr Modise said it was difficult not to see the weekend weather variation in the context of climate change.

"The weekend weather events were a reminder that local municipalities needed to conscientize communities about the climate change and need to factor it into their future plannings around issues of human settlements." The committee adopted its report on the Climate Change Bill last week and will be referred to the National Assembly for debate and will thereafter be referred to the National Council of Provinces.

"For our committee there remains much work ahead related to service delivery and following up on parliamentary recommendations. Some key areas include enhancing parliamentary systems and processes in supporting a more robust legislative process such as improved public consultations and communication."

He added: "Additionally, stakeholders were clear on the need for education and awareness programmes at national levels down to municipalities needing further attention in partnership with the non-governmental organisations (NGOs)," Mr Modise said the committee will not fail on this task and that it will ensure that communities are alert to the new reality of climate change that they need to live with.

Stormsurges wreak havoc across a number of coastal communities in the Western Capeover the long weekend. In Macassar, storms swept away cars and flooded homes.

(Photoby Luke Daniel/News24)

Floodingis seen in Macassar.

(Photoby Luke Daniel/News24)

Franschhoek measures a record 299mm of rainfall during Western Cape storm

The rainfall station in Franschhoek recorded a whopping 299mm of rainfall on Sunday from a storm that battered the Western Cape over the long weekend, according to the South African Weather Service (SAWS).

Angry Macassar residents have blocked off entry into the area by burning tyres. They say they haven't had electricity since Friday.

"What must I feed my children? We can't cook or do anything without the electricity. This is madness, " said one resident. @News24 @TeamNews24 pic.twitter.com/kMwMcmHkQM

— Lisalee Solomons???? (@Lisaleesolomon1) September 26, 2023

Morning satellite image today, Tuesday, 26 September 2023. The weather system has exited the country as seen in the image. Rain and showers are still expected over the Eastern Cape. #easterncape #easterncapetourism #flooding #rain #weatherupdate #southafricanweather #southafrican pic.twitter.com/CxQ8UUYF6H

— SA Weather Service (@SAWeatherServic) September 26, 2023

The #CapeStorm has impacted some of our operations. We urge you to please support us this week and donate blood. We only have 2 days’ blood supply for O- and 3 days’ for O+.

Visit https://t.co/L7nOJSvMuh to find a venue close to you. #WesternCape #CapeTown pic.twitter.com/kvPB58o0OV

— Western Cape Blood Service (@The_WCBS) September 26, 2023

Our volunteer rescue crews have been busy throughout the Western Cape, assisting people and animals affected by the severe storms in the province. #CapeStorm https://t.co/Q2il94kaEF

— National Sea Rescue Institute (@NSRI) September 26, 2023

N2 at Spine Road#CapeStorm pic.twitter.com/QWu4LgXFUm

— KaYoS (@KaYoS_Boy) September 26, 2023

Cape Town - N2 Sir Lowrys Pass: ROAD OPEN but with traffic restrictions for rock clearance and water management - expect a wait to get through #CapeStorm pic.twitter.com/35T83vo2kL

— TrafficSA (@TrafficSA) September 26, 2023

Macassarresidents have blocked off the entry to the road by burning tyres.

Residentstold News24 they are angry because they have been without electricity sinceFriday.

No humanitarian aid has been able to enter the area to assist with theflood-affected area.

- Lisalee Solomons and Luke Daniels in Macassar

?? For detailed road closures across the province, visit https://t.co/bLHGiWkaxg.

To follow the latest updates on the situation in the Western Cape, click here ?? https://t.co/guqxyH1bFb#CapeStorm pic.twitter.com/gZHnyEHCLp

— Premier Alan Winde ???? (@alanwinde) September 26, 2023

Residentsin Sir Lowry's Pass told News24 they couldn't get into their homes since theheavy rainfall made landfall on Sunday.

Many have lost their food, clothes, andimportant documentation.

Most of their appliances have been damaged.

- LisaleeSolomons Sir Lowry's Pass

Residentsin Sir Lowry's Pass helped push a police vehicle that got stuck in the mud asheavy waters flowed through the streets.

Hundreds of residents' homes have beenflooded in the area.

- Lisalee Solomons in Sir Lowry's Pass