Cape Town - A storm surge and wind speeds of up to 70km/h today are expected to wreak havoc as thousands of learners return to school and traffic officials remain on high alert for road closures due to flooding and snow.
An orange level 6 warning of disruptive rain resulting in possible mudslides over Cape Town, Drakenstein and Stellenbosch municipalities has been issued by the South African Weather Service (Saws), which warned of gusty wind speeds expected to reach 50-70km/h over some parts of the Western Cape.
Western Cape Education Department (WCED) spokesperson Bronagh Hammond said 29 schools so far have reported damage as a result of heavy winds and rainfall.
She said while schools were expected to reopen today, the department would consider requests for closures if damages were incurred overnight.
“The WCED has consulted with Saws and the Provincial Disaster Management Committee (PDMC) and can confirm that all schools are to officially open. Requests for closure, due to inaccessibility of roads, may be considered for individual schools pending damages incurred overnight by heavy rainfall.
“Three schools have reported more serious damages after roof sheets were blown off by strong wind gusts in the West Coast region.
“The WCED is assessing these damages and is in contact with the schools to determine their needs and arrangements for continued teaching and learning. The WCED will continue to monitor the situation, in discussion with the Provincial Disaster Management Committee, and will communicate with schools if necessary,” said Hammond.
Meanwhile, UWC requested all staff to work remotely yesterday following the warning of severe level 6–8 storms.
Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning MEC Anton Bredell said between 10 and 20mm of rain was expected over the western parts of the province, and between 40 and 60mm over the southern western mountains, today.
He said fallen trees, electricity outages and road closures due to snow or flooding have already been reported, with the City of Cape Town, Overberg, Cape Winelands, and West Coast Districts hardest hit.
Bredell said the provincial government was working with the City and the National Department of Human Settlements to respond to the immediate needs of those who had lost their homes.
“We are concerned about the rainon-rain scenario, as saturated soil could lead to rockfalls, landslides and flash floods. Wuppertal and other communities in the Cederberg area will be reached by specialised 4x4 teams once a needs assessment has been conducted,” Bredell said.
Cape Town, the West Coast and Overberg regions were also the hardest hit by power outages over the past 48 hours reported by Eskom.
The City’s Traffic Service said it would communicate as far as possible on affected roads, while its Water and Sanitation teams were on the ground to clear roadways, unblock drains and remove fallen trees and debris in affected areas.
The City’s Disaster Risk Management Centre spokesperson Sonica Lategan said City services were already involved in emergency response efforts, and would continue to do so as reports come in.
“In the event of any immediate risk to life or property, please call the Public Emergency Communication Centre on 021 480 7700,” said Lategan.
Disaster relief organisation Gift of the Givers (GoTG) said more than 15 000 displaced persons have required assistance since the weekend.
GoTG project manager Ali Sablay said: “The numbers are increasing at a rapid rate as more informal settlements are reaching out to GoTG. GoTG will be working with the local authorities to see how we can render humanitarian aid to them.
“The major informal settlements in Citrusdal are busy with evacuations; those people will be placed in the Citrusdal Community Hall.”
To support the organisation as it responds to numerous communities, by providing hot meals, blankets, toiletries and baby care packs, contributions can be made via the following banking details: Gift of the Givers, Standard Bank, Pietermaritzburg, Account number 052137228, reference: Storms.
