Western Cape communities still reeling from the aftermath of last week's heavy rains were dealt another devastating blow as torrential downpours returned, exacerbating the existing flooding crisis.
From the early hours of Monday morning, residents awoke to the grim reality of water invading their homes, leaving them frantically trying to salvage their belongings and seeking assistance from overwhelmed authorities.
Miranda Madolo, a resident of Mfuleni, found herself in dire straits once again, having barely recovered from the previous deluge.
"We are in big trouble, we have not yet recovered from the previous rain that hit our areas, and we were still trying to clean up when the strong winds and heavy rains started again."
The dire situation forced Madolo to send a video depicting the extent of the damage to her boss, desperate to explain her inability to report to work.
She, like many others, had been unable to venture out due to soaked clothing caused by the inundation of their homes.
Thembile Mnyamana, a 40-year-old resident, was compelled to abandon his shack due to the unrelenting rain.
He shared a harrowing experience, saying, "I cannot even describe the amount of water, it is bad. I don't think I will be able to stay there again, my shack has also sustained severe damage."
Initially hopeful that the rain would subside, Mnyamana's optimism quickly evaporated as he realised that weather conditions were deteriorating.
"Heavy rains are problematic, but when combined with strong winds, it becomes even more dangerous. You can be attacked and injured by objects coming from neighbouring yards."
Desperate for assistance, residents are imploring the City of Cape Town to increase its efforts in aiding the flood-stricken areas.
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In the Winnie Madikizela informal settlement, one resident experienced a rude awakening when she discovered water flooding her shack in the early hours of the morning.
"I was lucky last time, as my shack remained dry, but this time, it caught me off guard. I only realised when I stepped off my bed and into the water inside my shack. I screamed in shock and began desperately removing the water."
Sadly, her efforts proved futile, as the water stubbornly seeped back in while she struggled to remove it.
Now, these communities are anxiously awaiting the arrival of City officials, hoping they will prioritise areas that were neglected during the previous round of aid.
Charlotte Powel, spokesperson for Cape Town's Disaster Risk Management, acknowledged the severity of the situation.
"The SA Weather Service has issued an advisory for level 5 damaging winds, which have the potential to cause further damage for both formal and informal housing structures, electrical and communication infrastructure, and uproot trees."
