2023 Western Cape floods
Flooding in the Siyahlata informal settlement in Langa, Cape Town on 25 September 2023.
Date24-25 September 2023
LocationWestern Cape, South Africa
Deaths11 (at least)

The 2023 Western Cape floods were a series of floods affecting the Western Cape province of South Africa as a result of heavy rainfall on 24-25 September 2023.[1] The flooding resulted in at least 11 fatalities, the closure of over 200 roads, and over 80,000 people being left without electricity.[2][3]

Background

On 23 September 2023, the South African Weather Service issued a level 6 warning for parts of the Garden Route District Municipality. The alert warned of damaging wind and waves as well as severe thunderstorms in the area from 24 to 25 September.[4]

Over the two-day period from 24 to 25 September, the town of Stellenbosch in the Cape Winelands District Municipality, and the city Cape Town received 193mm and 143mm of rain respectively.[5]

Impact

By Tuesday 26 September, at least 11 people had been killed in the floods. Eight of those people, including 4 children were electrocuted when floods damaged electricity connections in their informal settlements. The remaining three people were killed after being washed away by the flood waters. The number of people without electricity as a result of the flooding had reduced from over 80,000 people to approximately 15,000.[6] As of 29 September, one person remains missing after being washed off a bridge while in his car in the town of Kleinmond.[7]

Agriculture

In the immediate aftermath of the floods, the Western Cape Government estimated that damages to the agricultural sector in the province stood at R1.4 billion.[8]

Events

The Rocking the Daisies music festival, initially scheduled for 6-8 October, was postponed to 17-19 November after the floods affected venue preparation.[9]

The 32nd Hermanus Whale Festival was cancelled for health and safety reasons after water infrastructure in the area was damaged. Hermanus residents were supplied with water by tankers.[10]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Luhanga, Peter; Lali, Vincent (25 September 2023). "Hundreds flee flooded homes as storms batter Western Cape". GroundUp News. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  2. ↑ Muia, Wycliffe; Maseko, Nomsa (27 September 2023). "South Africa floods: At least 11 people die after Western Cape deluge". BBC News. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  3. ↑ Nene, Ntuthuzelo (27 September 2023). "More WC roads reopened after flooding; 80,000 residents still without power". ewn.co.za. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  4. ↑ Solomons, Lisalee. "'Please be careful,' says MEC as SAWS issues level 6 weather warning for damaging waves, winds". News24. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  5. ↑ van Diemen, Ethan (26 September 2023). "Why more than two months worth of rain fell in Western Cape weekend storm". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  6. ↑ Imray, Gerald (26 September 2023). "8 people electrocuted as floods cause deaths and damage across South Africa's Western Cape". AP News. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  7. ↑ Evans, Jenni (29 September 2023). "Western Cape flood death toll rises to 11 as search for missing Kleinmond resident continues". News24. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  8. ↑ Nene, Ntuthuzelo (28 September 2023). "Western Cape agricultural sector loses estimated R1.4bn due to flood damage". ewn.co.za. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  9. ↑ "Rocking the Daisies 2023 put on ice due to destructive floods". ewn.co.za. 28 September 2023. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  10. ↑ McCain, Nicole (29 September 2023). "No water in Hermanus after flooding damages infrastructure, Whale Festival cancelled". News24. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
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