Cold and wet weather is expected to continue in the Western Cape this week with a series of cold fronts still to make landfall over the coming days.
"A series of cold fronts are still on track to make landfall, resulting in a week of wet and cold conditions. [Monday] will see the coldest daytime temperatures, and the next cold front with rain is expected to arrive on Tuesday.
"Between 10 and 20mm of rain is expected over the western parts, and between 40 and 60mm can be expected over the southern western mountains," the Western Cape Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning department said.
The department added that the Provincial Disaster Management Centre (PDMC) is monitoring the situation.
"[The South African Weather Service] confirmed its outlook for strong to gale force west to north-westerly winds for the south-west coast and emphasised the high danger of runaway wildfires in the Garden Route District. The Department of Water and Sanitation continues to monitor river and dam levels, which are expected to rise significantly in the coming week.
"Eskom reported several outages over the past 48 hours caused by the severe weather. Cape Town, the West Coast and Overberg regions were hardest hit so far, and repair teams are attending to them as fast as possible," the department said.
Disruptive weather
The department's MEC Anton Bredell said since the first cold front made landfall over the weekend, the PDMC has received reports of damage and disruptions due in several areas.
"Widespread disruptions and damage, including loss of shelter in informal settlements, localised flooding, fallen trees, electricity outages, and road closures due to snow or flooding, were reported during our meeting [on Monday].
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"The City of Cape Town, Overberg, Cape Winelands, and West Coast Districts were hardest hit by the severe weather. As always, our focus remains on the safety of our residents and the humanitarian support that they need," he said.
Significant rainfall has already been recorded in several towns in the Western Cape, including at Ceres, which received some 123mm and Elgin Grabouw which received 84mm of rainfall.
The provincial government and the national Department of Human Settlements are working together to assist those who have lost homes due to flooding.
Search and rescue operations are also ready for those communities cut off from main roads.
"Wuppertal and other communities in the Cederberg area will be reached by specialised 4x4 teams once a needs assessment has been conducted, and we will be ready for similar requests as the week unfolds," Bredell said.
