Violent storms lash Cape Town

FLOODING: AT LEAST 150 RESIDENCES AFFECTED

Widespread damage but dam levels improve in drought-stricken province.

Severe rainstorms lashed Cape Town and other parts of the drought-stricken Western Cape overnight, leading to severe flooding in places and hopes that dams in the region would have received a significant boost.

The City of Cape Town’s disaster management centre reported extensive flooding in the city’s northern suburbs of Goodwood, Parow, Ravensmead, Belhar and Bellville South due to heavy downpours and gale-force winds.

The city’s Charlotte Powell said: “Approximately 150 residential properties have been affected. Roofs have been blown off in Sir Lowry’s Pass Village and a few properties have been damaged.

“Trees have been uprooted in Parow, Goodwood, Constantia and Belhar areas.

“Power lines came down in Goodwood, Parow Valley, Langa, Bergvliet, Durbanville and Maitland areas and mudslides have been reported in the Hout Bay area.”

A law enforcement officer was hospitalised with slight injuries after a tree fell on a vehicle on Constantia Main road.

The city’s recreation and parks department yesterday removed uprooted trees across the metropole to ensure roadways were clear while the roads and stormwater department unblocked drains.

Disaster management officials are continuing to do damage assessments in the affected communities.

Dam levels in the drought-stricken region have risen in recent days, with average dam levels sitting at 24% full.

The Western Cape’s biggest dam, the Theewaterskloof Dam which supplies the bulk of Cape Town’s water, was, however, still only at 14.9% full on Wednesday.

By Thursday, the overall dam levels had reached 25.1%, with Theewaterskloof at 15.9%, but that was before the deluge on Thursday night and yesterday. – ANA