CAPE TOWN – Severe storms sweeping through the Western Cape have resulted in at least three fatalities and have affected thousands of residents, with informal settlements bearing the brunt of the devastation.
The latest casualty occurred in Blanco on Monday morning, where a 64-year-old woman was killed when a tree fell on her home. The incident underscores the deadly impact of the extreme weather conditions.
In a separate incident in Klaarstroom, located at the foot of the Swartzberg mountains, a man lost his life after being swept away while attempting to cross a river. The tragedy highlights the dangers posed by flooded waterways during the storms.
Last week, a 37-year-old woman was killed in Knysna when a tree fell onto her car. The earlier incident serves as a grim reminder of the ongoing threat to public safety posed by the severe weather.
The City of Cape Town’s Disaster Risk Management Centre reports that damage assessments indicate 1,655 dwellings have been damaged, affecting more than 5,600 people. The scale of the damage underscores the widespread impact of the storms on communities across the region.
Khayelitsha has been identified as the worst-affected area, with approximately 1,000 structures damaged, leaving around 4,000 people affected. The devastation in Khayelitsha highlights the vulnerability of informal settlements to extreme weather events.
Other hard-hit areas include Overcome Heights, Vygieskraal, Philippi, and Pelican Park. The widespread damage across multiple communities underscores the severity of the storms and the challenges facing recovery efforts.
Disaster management spokesperson Charlotte Powell stated, "The Disaster Risk Management Centre is liaising with other relevant city services to see what relief can be provided to residents." Efforts are underway to provide assistance to those affected by the storms.
Meanwhile, the city’s emergency call centre received more than 950 calls on Monday, primarily related to fallen trees, flooding, crashes, and power outages. The high volume of calls reflects the widespread disruption caused by the storms.
Mayco Member for Safety and Security JP Smith said, "Safety and security has activated the disaster operations centre. Our officers are doing duty at intersections, assisting where roads have been closed due to flooding or fallen trees." Emergency services are working to manage the immediate impact of the storms and ensure public safety.
The city has acknowledged that the impact of the storms has been extensive and that teams are working as quickly as possible to address the numerous challenges. Recovery efforts are expected to continue for several days as communities work to rebuild and recover from the devastation.
