The Cape Town cold front has overstayed its welcome and in the under-developed periphery, informal homes have suffered the worst of the frosty wet weather.
Watch: Informal homes flooded by Cape Town rain
Low-lying areas on the outskirts of Cape Town have been struck the worst by the nonstop rainfall that’s persisted over the coastal region these past few days.
Residents took to social media to share images and videos of the flash floods. in one clip, a man could be seen shovelling out a pool of rainwater that had seeped into his informal home.
Flooding in some communities in Cape Town. pic.twitter.com/a8vyhIJJ4U
— Athi Mtongana ❤ (@Artii_M) July 1, 2021
In townships, streets with faulty sewage systems were deluged in heavy rain, rendering roads inaccessible to vehicles.
Heavy rain in Cape Town. Flash floods.
— Athi Mtongana ❤ (@Artii_M) July 1, 2021
"We're in trouble" – comment from the supplied video. pic.twitter.com/qTvpJr855g
This family posted a video of the destruction caused by the flooding that washed into their home, ruining furniture and other valuables.
Meanwhile in Cape Town. Some communities are flooded as heavy downpours continued over night.
— Athi Mtongana ❤ (@Artii_M) July 1, 2021
Video: Supplied.
Location: Mitchells Plain pic.twitter.com/48Cg85E8V6
Weather warnings: Cape Town cold front forecast
While for the most part, Thursday has been a relatively dry and drizzly day in most Cape Town areas, this will be short-lived.
The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has issued a warning of heavy disruptive rains in Cape Town and the greater Western Cape region for the next few days.
Here is a full list of the warnings issued by the weather service:
- Roads, homes, businesses likely to be flooded, causing damage to infrastructure
- Fast-flowing streams and rivers may cause danger to life when passing through low-level bridges
- Some communities may be cut-off and/or displaced
- Possibility of increase vehicle accidents, with likely road closures
- Extensive disruption to essential services may also occur
These torrential conditions are expected to last until Thursday evening, going into Friday. While a bit of reprieve is expected at the start of the weekend, Ventusky readings suggest that the moderate rain should return on Saturday 3 July 2021.