Cape Town - As thunderstorms and strong winds were expected to persist in the Western Cape until Tuesday, the City of Cape Town said it was closely monitoring for any potential impacts from the Level 3 warning issued by the SA Weather Service.
There have not been any significant incidents reported to the City’s disaster centre, but officials were conducting a few assessments and would report back.
The City said potential impacts from the thunderstorms included flash flooding of roadways and at-risk informal settlements; downed trees and power lines.
“Cape Town doesn’t often experience such long bouts of thunder activity, and the City endorses the safety tips issued by the weather service, which are to: stay indoors away from metal objects; do not seek shelter under trees or tall objects; activities like fishing and golf during a thunderstorm can create additional safety risks; be aware that any combination of hail, strong winds and/or heavy downpours can accompany the storms,” the City said.
Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning MEC, Anton Bredell, said the current combination of severe weather and high levels of load shedding posed risks, as he encouraged residents to remain vigilant and consider their safety in their immediate surroundings.
“Our Disaster Management Centre has a spotter plane in the air looking for people in distress, particularly on the West Coast, and we have the support of SARZA, a volunteer organisation with specialised off-road vehicles that can access difficult locations, if we should need them,” Bredell said.
Cape Times