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6 October 2023
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Downpours and gale force winds wreak havoc across Western Cape over South Africa’s heritage weekend
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The recent floods in the Western Cape as a result of heavy rainfall on 24 and 25 September 2023 resulted in at least 11 fatalities, the closure of over 200 roads and over 80 000 being left without electricity.
The South Africa Weather Service warned of widespread flooding and damaging winds over Eastern and Western Cape Provinces from 23 to 26 September 2023 as an intense cut-off low moved over the south of the country. SAWS had issued a level 9 warning of disruptive rain and gale force winds.
Unprecedented rainfalls were recorded, with the Overberg region receiving 142,6mm at the Overberg new weather station for the period 24 to 26 September 2023. Stellenbosch measured 194.2mm over the same period and Molteno in Cape Town recorded 141.8mm, according to data supplied by the South African Weather Services.
Wide areas of the Western Cape were negatively impacted with wind damage that left thousands without power, while the heavy rain and flooding prompted closures on all major roadways, including the N1, N2, R60 and R62, causing significant disruptions.
The Western Cape Provincial Disaster Management Centre was fully activated in response to flooding and severe damage.
Provincial Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning Minister Anton Bredell said there were extensive flooding across the province. “The next 12 hours will be very difficult. But our emergency teams have done an outstanding job in saving lives, which is always our first priority in situations such as these. The hard work of our teams over a number of years in preparing for emergencies such as these has also been demonstrated in how we have responded,” he continued.
Schalk Carstens, acting Head of the PDMC, said that the centre and all its entities had been preparing days in advance for the cold front. The weather system was moving towards the Garden Route region but it was downgraded to level 6.
At least 11 people were killed in the floods. Eight of those people, including four children were electrocuted when floods damaged electricity connections in the Driftsands and Klipfontein informal settlements. The remaining three people were killed after being washed away by the flood waters.
The Bot River broke its banks in the town of Botrivier, flooding wide areas of the N2 highway making it completely inaccessible.
Severe flooding was reported in Mfuleni Township, about 30km from Cape Town, after the Kuils River burst its banks. According to the Ground Up News Agency flooding in homes has forced around 2 000 families to evacuate. One person died after being electrocuted in flood water. There were also reports of evacuation in Faure and Sandvlei.
The Overberg region was the hardest hit, with several roads closed and towns such as Arniston and Struisbaai being cut off via road access. Many roads are still closed and this is making support functions more complex. “We are asking the public to remain patient in this regard,” said Minister Bredell. Bredasdorp has been particularly heavily struck, with many homes flooded and structures washed away in the informal settlements.
Overberg District Municipality reported two people were missing and their bodies later recovered in floods in separate incidents in Villiersdorp and Botriver Bridge. Municipality officials also reported seven families were rescued from flooded homes in Elgin Timbers, approximately 30 people were rescued in areas along the flooding Klein River and four people were rescued after taking refuge on the roofs of buildings after flooding in Greyton.
During a briefing on 25 September 2023, Minister Bredell said one person was swept away in Groot Brakrivier after part of a road along with a vehicle was washed away. One person was rescued from the vehicle but the second person is still missing.
Charlotte Powell, head of the City of Cape Town’s disaster management, said among the incidents reported to the City of Cape Town’s Disaster Operations Centre emergency services were four people trapped in a house in Strand, who had to be evacuated to the Strand Fire station. “The roof was blown off a private property in the CBD, while a Nutec dwelling in Hout Bay was also damaged due to wind [and] flooding has been reported across the city with the N2 at Victoria Road in Strand being severely affected,” said Disaster Risk Management Centre spokesperson Sonica Lategan. Residents of a building at risk of collapse were evacuated in Sir Lowry’s Pass Village. Flooding was also reported in several other areas, including Franschhoek, Durbanville, Bo-Kaap, Schaapkraal, Belhar, Strand, Gordon’s Bay and Knorhoek.
The number of people without electricity as a result of the flooding had reduced from over 80 000 people to approximately 15 000. Due to the widespread damage to electricity infrastructure caused by flooding in the Western and Eastern Cape coastal areas, Eskom suspended load shedding with immediate effect in these areas to ensure that the technical teams restore the supply of electricity safely.
Spokesperson and Western Cape project coordinator of Gift of the Givers, Ali Sablay, said teams had been activated to assist Western Cape, Theewaterskloof and Cape Agulhas disaster risk management teams.
Sources: Western Cape PDMC, SAWS, TimesLive, Daily Maverick, BBC News, Cape Talk
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The South Africa Weather Service warned of widespread flooding and damaging winds over Eastern and Western Cape Provinces from 23 to 26 September 2023 as an intense cut-off low moved over the south of the country. SAWS had issued a level 9 warning of disruptive rain and gale force winds.
Unprecedented rainfalls were recorded, with the Overberg region receiving 142,6mm at the Overberg new weather station for the period 24 to 26 September 2023. Stellenbosch measured 194.2mm over the same period and Molteno in Cape Town recorded 141.8mm, according to data supplied by the South African Weather Services.
Wide areas of the Western Cape were negatively impacted with wind damage that left thousands without power, while the heavy rain and flooding prompted closures on all major roadways, including the N1, N2, R60 and R62, causing significant disruptions.
The Western Cape Provincial Disaster Management Centre was fully activated in response to flooding and severe damage.
Provincial Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning Minister Anton Bredell said there were extensive flooding across the province. “The next 12 hours will be very difficult. But our emergency teams have done an outstanding job in saving lives, which is always our first priority in situations such as these. The hard work of our teams over a number of years in preparing for emergencies such as these has also been demonstrated in how we have responded,” he continued.
Schalk Carstens, acting Head of the PDMC, said that the centre and all its entities had been preparing days in advance for the cold front. The weather system was moving towards the Garden Route region but it was downgraded to level 6.
At least 11 people were killed in the floods. Eight of those people, including four children were electrocuted when floods damaged electricity connections in the Driftsands and Klipfontein informal settlements. The remaining three people were killed after being washed away by the flood waters.
The Bot River broke its banks in the town of Botrivier, flooding wide areas of the N2 highway making it completely inaccessible.
Severe flooding was reported in Mfuleni Township, about 30km from Cape Town, after the Kuils River burst its banks. According to the Ground Up News Agency flooding in homes has forced around 2 000 families to evacuate. One person died after being electrocuted in flood water. There were also reports of evacuation in Faure and Sandvlei.
The Overberg region was the hardest hit, with several roads closed and towns such as Arniston and Struisbaai being cut off via road access. Many roads are still closed and this is making support functions more complex. “We are asking the public to remain patient in this regard,” said Minister Bredell. Bredasdorp has been particularly heavily struck, with many homes flooded and structures washed away in the informal settlements.
Overberg District Municipality reported two people were missing and their bodies later recovered in floods in separate incidents in Villiersdorp and Botriver Bridge. Municipality officials also reported seven families were rescued from flooded homes in Elgin Timbers, approximately 30 people were rescued in areas along the flooding Klein River and four people were rescued after taking refuge on the roofs of buildings after flooding in Greyton.
During a briefing on 25 September 2023, Minister Bredell said one person was swept away in Groot Brakrivier after part of a road along with a vehicle was washed away. One person was rescued from the vehicle but the second person is still missing.
Charlotte Powell, head of the City of Cape Town’s disaster management, said among the incidents reported to the City of Cape Town’s Disaster Operations Centre emergency services were four people trapped in a house in Strand, who had to be evacuated to the Strand Fire station. “The roof was blown off a private property in the CBD, while a Nutec dwelling in Hout Bay was also damaged due to wind [and] flooding has been reported across the city with the N2 at Victoria Road in Strand being severely affected,” said Disaster Risk Management Centre spokesperson Sonica Lategan. Residents of a building at risk of collapse were evacuated in Sir Lowry’s Pass Village. Flooding was also reported in several other areas, including Franschhoek, Durbanville, Bo-Kaap, Schaapkraal, Belhar, Strand, Gordon’s Bay and Knorhoek.
The number of people without electricity as a result of the flooding had reduced from over 80 000 people to approximately 15 000. Due to the widespread damage to electricity infrastructure caused by flooding in the Western and Eastern Cape coastal areas, Eskom suspended load shedding with immediate effect in these areas to ensure that the technical teams restore the supply of electricity safely.
Spokesperson and Western Cape project coordinator of Gift of the Givers, Ali Sablay, said teams had been activated to assist Western Cape, Theewaterskloof and Cape Agulhas disaster risk management teams.
Sources: Western Cape PDMC, SAWS, TimesLive, Daily Maverick, BBC News, Cape Talk
Quote of the week
“Good firefighters will know their job. Great firefighters will also know the job of the person above them as well as teach their job to the person below them.” ~ Bob Muszynski, chief, Chicago Ridge Fire Department
Fire and Rescue International is your magazine.
Read it, use it and share it!
Read the latest magazine: https://www.frimedia.org/fri-vol-7-no-1.html
FRI magazine archive: https://www.frimedia.org/fri-archives.html
Enjoy the read!
Lee Raath-Brownie
Managing director
Cell: 082 371 0190
Contact us
Tel: 011 452 3135 or Email: [email protected]
Websites
www.fireandrescue.co
www.frimedia.org
www.facebook.com/FireandRescueInternational
www.twitter.com/FRI_magazine
http://www.linkedin.com/in/lee-raath-brownie-16668065/
