All hands on deck as multiple cold fronts hit the city
13 July 2020
With a second cold front that made landfall last night, City services are hard at work to deal with the impact and mitigate any further risks to communities. With the first cold front of last week, some areas in the metropole received up to 100mm of rain. With more rain predicted, there is a high risk of flooding.
‘Last week’s cold front with associated damage followed by the current storm posed a lot of challenges to the City’s Disaster Risk Management Centre(DRMC). But the dedication and hard work by City staff and community organisations has once again proved that team effort pays off. City services are well prepared to deal with storm damages during the winter,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith.
The DRMC coordinates assistance to affected areas during winter storms. This is being done in conjunction with various City of Cape Town departments. Incidents are recorded at the DRMC which are then followed up by on-site assessment and activation of departmental teams.
Although the DRMC receives direct calls from the public, the centre also coordinates flood-related calls received from the Public Emergency Call Centre as well as the City’s Corporate Call Centre. Most of the storm related calls received deal with uprooted trees blocking roads, roofs that are blown off, power outages due to tree branches and/or uprooted trees and localised flooding due to blocked drains.
Other City departments such as Water and Sanitation, Transport and Electricity Departments also receive weather-related calls.
Prior to the two current series of cold fronts, the DRMC has facilitated responses to three major ‘heavy weather episodes’ since the beginning of winter.
The highest number of calls were received during the weekend of 10–12 June with 107 reports of flooding in informal settlements as well as various reports of blocked drains and roads that were flooded.
Areas with a high risk of flooding include those adjacent to canals or storm water systems that get blocked due to littering and dumping as well as areas where structures are built near retention ponds, wetlands or in low-lying areas.
‘We have moved away from lengthy rainy spells to shorter, more intense cold fronts which means that more rain falls in a shorter period of time, leading to increased risk of localised flooding, because the water cannot run off quickly enough. It is therefore imperative that residents do everything possible to mitigate the risk of flooding around their homes, by ensuring that gutters are cleaned regularly and that any potential obstructions are removed. In informal areas, we advise residents to dig trenches around their structures so that water can be diverted,’ added Alderman Smith.
As part of its public awareness and education initiatives during winter, the DRMC also advises residents on how to minimise flooding at their place of residence:
• Keep access routes open
• Avoid building in low lying areas
• If possible, dig “trenches” around structures to allow water to flow away from the structure
• Use non-flammable materials as insulation
• Check heating and lighting devices for safety – use them safely
• Keep candles, cookers, devices on sturdy and firm bases so that they are not easily knocked over
• Use gas carefully and ensure all piping and cylinders are in good condition
• Keep flammable items away from children
For more information on how to minimise flooding visit: https://resource.capetown.gov.za/cityassets/Media%20Centre%20Assets/1920GD498_DRM_Poster_Flood-wise_E_A1_3544_draft%203.pdf
In the event of a flood related emergency, residents should phone 021 480 7700 from a cell phone or 107 from a landline. It is important to provide accurate detail on the address of where flooding or damage occurred.
Flood warning information will be provided by the South African Weather Service, and can be obtained on https://www.weathersa.co.za by clicking on your area of interest.
While various City departments are battling the effects of the cold fronts, the City’s enforcement operations are ongoing.
In the last week, the City’s Traffic Service made six arrests, three for driving under the influence of alcohol. Officers also issued 16 839 fines for various transgressions.
Their Metro Police counterparts arrested 13 suspects for various crimes ranging from reckless and negligent driving, driving while under the influence of alcohol, theft of copper cables, malicious damage to property and possession of drugs. Officers also issued 754 fines for by-law and traffic contraventions.
End
Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office
