Recent severe storms have wreaked havoc in Cape Town and surrounding areas in South Africa, displacing thousands of residents and causing extensive damage to structures. The inclement weather, which began a week ago, has been characterized by record rainfall and gale-force winds.
The latest storm, which hit overnight, resulted in significant destruction in the Wynberg neighborhood of Cape Town. Roofs were torn off houses, buildings were damaged, and electricity poles were brought down by the strong winds.
The City of Cape Town's Disaster Operations Centre has been working tirelessly to respond to calls for assistance from affected residents. So far, at least 4,500 people have been displaced, and approximately 15,000 structures have been damaged in Cape Town and the wider Western Cape province.
Efforts to support those impacted by the storms have been underway, with over 36,000 meals provided and 6,000 blankets distributed by the city and various non-governmental organizations in the past two days.
Many of the displaced individuals reside in informal settlements on the outskirts of Cape Town, where flimsy structures are particularly vulnerable to severe weather conditions.
Schools in Cape Town and neighboring areas have been closed due to the adverse weather conditions. The region of Stellenbosch, known for its vineyards, experienced snow earlier in the week, a rare phenomenon attributed to the extreme cold fronts originating from the Atlantic Ocean.
The situation has been exacerbated by three major rivers in the province overflowing their banks, prompting evacuations in areas like Citrusdal and parts of the Stellenbosch wine-growing region.
Authorities are considering releasing water from dams as a precautionary measure to prevent further damage from potential overflow. While Cape Town and the southwest coast of South Africa are accustomed to winter storms, the frequency and intensity of the recent fronts have been notably unusual.
