Cape Town floods displace thousands of informal settlement residents, more rain expected

Heavy downpours in Cape Town resulted in thousands of residents being displaced after their homes were washed away by floods on Friday night .

The province's disaster management team issued a warning, saying disruptive rain would persist until the end of the weekend.

Disaster risk management spokesperson Charlotte Powell said rescue teams were assessing the extent of damage by the heavy rains.

“Assessments are under way after last night’s heavy downpours. Reports have been received from a number of areas including Mfuleni, Gugulethu and Khayelitsha.”

Powell said the Vygieskraal canal burst its banks, causing further flooding on a number of roads in the Athlone/Belgravia area.

The rains also caused structural damages to houses across the province including: :

• Vygieskraal informal settlement: about 500 structures, affecting 2,000 residents;
• Approximately 200 structures in Haji Ebrahim Crescent affecting 1,000 people; and
• About 150 RDP homes, also in Vygieskraal, where an estimated 750 people were affected.

The disaster risk management centre has requested help with sandbags and milling, blankets and provision of hot meals and plastic sheeting for temporary shelter support. 

Provincial traffic service spokesperson Kevin Jacobs said heavy rains caused the closure of the Borchard's Quarry link from the N2.

“While there was a lot of localised flooding of roadways late yesterday afternoon and early evening, these have since been cleared either through natural drainage or interventions from the relevant city departments.”

Jacobs warned more rain was expected, appealing to motorists to be cautious. 

“We experience an increase in motor vehicle accidents during periods of inclement weather. Drive with your headlights on, reduce speed and increase your following distance.”

TimesLIVE