Farmers in the Cape Winelands are grappling with the aftermath of catastrophic flooding, facing billions in losses and a challenging recovery as they adapt to climate change's increasing threats.

When the rain began falling over the Hex River Valley in the Cape Winelands on Sunday, 10 May, there was little indication of how rapidly the landscape would change.

By the afternoon of 11 May, the Hex River had swollen to such an extent that water was running between workers' homes at Kleinberg Kriegler Farms and through the vineyard.

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The sheer scale of the approaching flood became clear when a large upstream dam, which had been only 32% full, overflowed after about 18 hours of rain.

According to Andre du Toit, general manager of Kleinberg Kriegler Farms, within 24 hours conditions had deteriorated so dramatically that lives would probably have been lost had the residents not been evacuated.

"Nobody was hurt. That is the one positive thing about the floods. But some of the people lost a lot," he said.

The flood severed roads, swept away gates and forced farmers to open routes across neighbouring properties to reach isolated areas. Four houses at Kleinberg Kriegler were damaged, displacing 11 people. Elsewhere on the farm, the Hex River tore through vineyards, pump stations and infrastructure.

A similar scene unfolded about 70km away, at Springfield Estate in the Breede Valley, where...