Almost 10 000 people have been affected by flooding in Philippi and Khayelitsha, the City of Cape Town said yesterday.
On Monday, the Western Cape Disaster Management Centre had warned that parts of the Western Cape should prepare for rain storms, flooding and gale force winds.
The SA Weather Service issued a severe weather warning from July 25 until July 28.
The City’s Charlotte Powell said 1500 structures and 6000 people were affected by flooding in Philippi while in Khayelitsha 800 structures and 3200 people were affected.
Powell said: “Our NGO partners have been activated to supply humanitarian relief, which is blankets and hot meals. The City’s Human Settlements Department has supplied flood kits.”
Flooding on Strand Street, the elevated freeway at the FW de Klerk Blvd/Nelson Mandela Blvd split, and De Waal Drive caused huge traffic jams out of the city yesteday.
Further afield, Overberg District Municipality Fire and Rescue Chief Reinard Geldenhuys says 25 families were moved into Zwelihle Community Hall after their houses were flooded.
Rescue workers were also sent to Uilenskraalmond Resort outside Gansbaai to pack sandbags to prevent water from flooding holiday homes.
“We will keep a close eye on all rivers in the area which are expected to rise overnight including the Uilkraal River and Karsrivier outside Bredasdorp,” says Geldenhuys.
No roads in the Overberg were closed although some were flooded, like the R43 between Stanford and Gansbaai.
Meanwhile in Johannesburg, two tornadoes were reported.
Tornado in Tembisa, Johannesburg. CREDIT: YouTube
One hit Tembisa, where the roof at Phumulani Mall collapsed, causing injuries to at least two people.
The tornado also swept through the roof of Tembisa hospital and a filling station in the township.
In Durban, scores of homes and roads were flooded as torrential rain hit the area, with snow in the highlands.
No reports of fatalities resulting from the floods have been reported, but a 62-year-old woman was reported missing after her unoccupied car was found in Glen Anil Street.