PICTURES: From picturesque snow to blistering cold fronts, flooding and bustling wind
Cape Town - 8July 2024 - Snowfall in the areas surrounding Ceres as cold fronts continue to hit the Western Cape. Photographer Ayanda Ndamane/ Independent Newspapers
Published Jul 9, 2024
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Cape Town - Amidst high-level warnings from the South African Weather Service (Saws), the cold fronts that landed in the Western Cape and the harsh wet weather conditions have caused widespread damage.
From large waves to white mountain tops, snow-covered wine farms to flooded informal settlements in the Cape Town metro, uprooted trees, flooded drains and flipped cars in the suburbs, Western Cape residents are seeing it all this week.
In the latest update from the SA Weather Service, the existing weather warnings remain in place for the today and tomorrow (level 6 disruptive rain and level 4 damaging winds, now extended to Thursday).
However, there is also a warning for level 8 disruptive rain in place for Thursday, 11 July 2024, as well as a level 6 warning for damaging waves.
This will likely exacerbate the impacts of the severe weather to date – the City said all its services are on hand to deal with incidents that may arise from the forecast.
The City of Cape Town’s Traffic Services cautioned residents to be alert for localised flooding of roadways as wet and windy weather were set to remain for the next few days.
Numerous rivers and canals are at capacity, with some bursting their banks of which Eerste River in Macassar.
There is also reports of flooded roads across the metropole – the Roads Department is working to address any blockages of the stormwater system. However, the sheer amount of rain that has fallen has been a complicating factor.
Meanwhile, in areas like Khayelitsha, close to 1000 structures were destroyed by strong winds and floods, leaving up to 4000 people destitute.
While charities and humanitarian organisations began relief efforts, the City’s Disaster Risk Management Centre and its provincial counterpart were still recording the areas affected and tallying the number of families affected.
In areas surrounding Ceres and on the outskirts of the Western Province, locals were experiencing snowfall as cold fronts continued to land.
According to Saws, South Africans will continue to experience inclement weather conditions until later this week, with temperatures dropping well below 10℃.
Independent Newspapers Photographers Armand Hough, Ayanda Ndamane, Henk Kruger and Leon Lestrade have all been busy snapping pics of the weather’s widespread impact.
Cape Town - 5 July 2024. Kids from an informal settlement in Kraaifontein walk back home after receiving blankets and hot meals. Gift of the Givers distributed hot meals and blankets to an informal housing community in Kraaifontein, affected by the recent cold and wet weather. Photographer: Henk Kruger / Independent NewspapersCape Town - 5 July 2024. Kids from an informal settlement in Kraaifontein walk back home after receiving blankets and hot meals. Gift of the Givers distributed hot meals and blankets to an informal housing community in Kraaifontein, affected by the recent cold and wet weather. Photographer: Henk Kruger / Independent NewspapersFranschhoek - 8 July 2024. Local hikers from Franschoek take on the snow-covered mountains at Mont Rochelle Nature Reserve. Photographer: Henk Kruger / Independent NewspapersFranschhoek - 8 July 2024. Photographer: Henk Kruger / Independent NewspapersCape Town - 8 July 2024 - As a cold front moved over Cape Town, heavy waves and strong winds struck the coast, blowing sea foam across Three Anchor Bay and onto roads. Photographer: Armand Hough / Independent NewspapersCape Town - 7 July 2024 - The forecast is for gale to strong gale force westerly and north-westerly winds, reaching speeds of between 70 and 90 km/h, with gusts exceeding 100 km/h at times. This could result in widespread structural damage like roofs being blown off, uprooted trees and downed power lines. Photographer: Armand Hough / Independent Newspapers Cape Town - 7 July 2024 - Large waves crash over the Sea Point promenade.. Photographer: Armand Hough / Independent NewspapersSouth Africa - Cape Town - 7 July 2024 - Large waves crash over the Sea Point promenade. Photographer: Armand Hough / Independent NewspapersCape Town - 7 July 2024 - Endlovini Informal settlement was damaged after experiencing strong winds. Photographer Ayanda Ndamane/ Independent NewspapersCape Town - 7 July 2024 - City workers seen unclogging drains to mitigate the impact of heavy rain and avoid potential flooding in. Photographer Ayanda Ndamane/ Independent Newspapers
Cape Town - 7 July 2024 - A car overturned on the N2 near SIte c Khayelitsha. Photographer Ayanda Ndamane/ Independent NewspapersCape Town - 7 July 2024 - Endlovini Informal settlement damaged after experiencing strong winds. Photographer Ayanda Ndamane/ Independent NewspapersCeres - 8 July 2024 - Snowfall in the areas surrounding Ceres as cold fronts continue to hit the Western Cape. Photographer Ayanda Ndamane/ Independent NewspapersCeres - 8 July 2024 - Kylie Holloway and Josie van Zyl playing with snow. Snow fell in the areas surrounding Ceres as cold fronts continued to hit the Western Cape. Photographer Ayanda Ndamane/ Independent NewspapersCeres - 8 July 2024 - Snowfall in the areas surrounding Ceres as cold fronts continue to hit the Western Cape. Photographer Ayanda Ndamane/ Independent NewspapersCeres - 8 July 2024 - Snowfall in the areas surrounding Ceres as cold fronts continue to hit the Western Cape. Photographer Ayanda Ndamane/ Independent NewspapersCeres - 8 July 2024 - Snowfall in the areas surrounding Ceres as cold fronts continue to hit the Western Cape. Photographer Ayanda Ndamane/ Independent NewspapersCeres - 8 July 2024 - Snowfall in the areas surrounding Ceres as cold fronts continue to hit the Western Cape. Photographer Ayanda Ndamane/ Independent NewspapersCape Town - 09 July 2024 - Multiple areas have reported flooding in Cape Town, after a night of heavy rain. Sandvlei on the Cape Flats were also affected. Photographer: Leon Lestrade / Independent Newspapers.Cape Town - 09 July 2024 - Several roads in Bishop Lavis including Gearing Road, Lavis Drive, Sydneyvale and others were flooded after heavy downpours. Photographer: Leon Lestrade / Independent Newspapers.Cape Town - 09 July 2024 - Several roads in Bishop Lavis including Gearing Road, Lavis Drive, Sydneyvale and others were flooded after heavy downpours. Photographer: Leon Lestrade / Independent Newspapers.Cape Town - 09 July 2024 - Several roads in Bishop Lavis including Gearing Road, Lavis Drive, Sydneyvale and others were flooded after heavy downpours. Photographer: Leon Lestrade / Independent Newspapers.Cape Town - 09 July 2024 - People cover themselves with plastic bags as they walk in very cold and wet conditions in Wallacedene. A series of cold fronts are still on track to make landfall, resulting in a week of wet and cold weather. Photographer: Henk Kruger / Independent NewspapersCape Town - 09 July 2024 - People cover themselves with plastic bags as they walk in very cold and wet conditions in Wallacedene. A series of cold fronts are still on track to make landfall, resulting in a week of wet and cold weather. Photographer: Henk Kruger / Independent NewspapersCape Town - 09 July 2024 - People cover themselves with plastic bags as they walk in very cold and wet conditions in Wallacedene. A series of cold fronts are still on track to make landfall, resulting in a week of wet and cold weather. Photographer: Henk Kruger / Independent Newspapers
Cape Town - 09 July 2024 - Somerset West flooded as a series of cold fronts are still on track to make landfall, resulting in a week of wet and cold weather. Photographer Ayanda Ndamane/ Independent NewspapersCape Town - 09 July 2024 - Somerset West flooded as a series of cold fronts are still on track to make landfall, resulting in a week of wet and cold weather. Photographer Ayanda Ndamane/ Independent Newspapers