Cape Town is one of several areas in South Africa that has been lashed by bad weather over the past few days, causing heavy flooding.
Many people in the metropole spent Tuesday trying to get water out of their homes.
For Strand resident, Balekile Noyo, flooding is a recurring problem, explaining: “Behind my house there is a canal and every time it rains, the water runs into my home.
“This problem started about six years ago, every rainy season, the house gets flooded. I’ve had to throw away my furniture because of this.
“We have been to the councillors but they can’t help us. They told us that they are going to remove the rubble in the canal.”
Strand councillor Xolani Diniso explained that they’ve asked the City to include cleaning out canals in their winter-readiness programme to avoid blockages.
Xolani says: “This should also be part of the budget, cleaning canals is important. Yesterday I had to take money out of my pocket to get them cleaned so the water can just run smoothly.”
Disaster Risk Management Centre (DRMC) spokesperson Sonica Lategan said they received reports of flooding in Gugulethu, Khayelitsha, Macassar and Kraaifontein and are currently busy with assessments across the metropole.
She says: “DRMC coordinates the multi-departmental Winter Readiness Task Team meetings to plan, mitigate and respond to flood and storm damage.
“Residents affected by the rain and flooding can request assistance by phoning the City’s Public Emergency Communication Centre on 021 480 7700 from a cell phone and 107 from a landline.”
Traffic services spokesperson Kevin Jacobs said flooding was reported in the right and centre lane on the N2 outbound before Liesbeeck Park Way and both lanes had to be closed.
Strand Street in and outbound between Nelson Mandela and Buitenkant Street was also flooded, as well as 35th Avenue northbound after Lavis Drive.
Heavy rains are expected to continue until tomorrow and motorists are advised to be cautious, and to allow for extra travelling time to reach their destination.
From Friday, sunny weather will prevail.
Meanwhile, videos of a possible tornado in Tongaat on the KZN North Coast that caused extensive damage, have surfaced on social media.
Lehlohonolo Thobela, South African Weather Service meteorologist and weather forecaster told IOL that if the video was of Monday, then it was a tornado.
Thobela says: “The South African Weather Services have issued a Level 2 for severe thunderstorms that were covering the central and the western parts of KZN. One of the observations we see severe thunderstorms is the occurrence of tornados in an area.”
mandilakhe.tshwete@inl.co.za