South Africa: Level 6 Warning Declared As Two New Fronts Bear Down On Western Cape
At least one person has died in the relentless disruptive rain and flooding in the Western Cape as communities try to recover from a week's worth of intense rain and cold. With more rain to come, the focus now shifts to humanitarian aid for 100,000 people affected across the Cape metropole.
Two more cold fronts are expected to make landfall this weekend in the Western Cape. According to Western Cape premier Alan Winde on Friday morning, the weather service has confirmed a Level 6 warning for disruptive rain in Stellenbosch and Witzenberg this weekend.
"According to the predictions, we can expect between 60 and 100mm of rain in the mountainous areas. Our dams and rivers are full, and our catchments are saturated, so any additional rainfall could lead to flooding, mudslides, and rock falls. We repeat our call to the public to stay safe, avoid unnecessary travel and keep informed through reputable news outlets," said Winde.
Read Daily Maverick's coverage of the ongoing storm here: Western Cape severe weather updates, home protection tips, and relief resources
This followed a week's worth of inclement weather - disruptive rain, damaging winds and cold - in parts of the Western Cape. On Friday, the provincial government confirmed that 100,000 residents and 33,000 structures had been affected thus far.
One person dead
On Friday morning, Cape Argus reported that a man had died after assisting a motorist after their car got caught in the rain on Thursday. The incident occurred in the...