| City cautions against challenging sea conditions | City cautions against challenging sea conditions | | <img alt="" src="https://resource.capetown.gov.za/cityassets/Media%20Images%202/20231113_144644%20%282%29.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" /> | <p>With the full moon, stronger rip currents and possible swells, the City cautions beachgoers to please exercise extreme caution. Read more below:<br></p> | <p>The City of Cape Town's Recreation and Parks Department urges beachgoers to be particularly alert over the coming days.</p><p>With the arrival of the full moon, stronger rip currents and bigger sea swells are likely to be prevalent.</p><p>Lifeguards and ancillary services have had a busy few days in spite of the very windy conditions around the peninsula.</p><p>The only major incident involving bathers that was recorded over the past few days was a mass rescue at Monwabisi Beach, with three non-fatal drownings.<br></p><p>The patients were transported to Khayelitsha hospital for medical treatment.</p><p>According to City records, there have been four fatal drownings of bathers since 1 December.</p><p>'It is of concern that all of the fatal drownings took place outside of designated bathing areas, or outside of lifeguard duty hours. We request the public to continue to swim only where and when lifeguards are on duty, between their red and yellow flags. Please also take heed of the warnings about rip currents and stronger swells in the days ahead. We are determined to provide safe spaces for our beachgoers, but we need the public to play their part too,' said Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health, Councillor Patricia Van der Ross.</p><p>In terms of the Identikidz project, there were no challenges experienced over the past long weekend.</p><p>Staff have, since the start of the project in mid-December, tagged 48 957 children, of whom 65 were reunited with their caregivers.</p><p>Over the Christmas long weekend, 5 095 children were tagged at Strand Beach, 3 715 at Muizenberg and 3 237 at Strandfontein.</p><p>The rest of the participating beaches returned the following statistics:</p><ul><li>Monwabisi: 2 198</li><li>Camp's Bay: 1 866</li><li>Mnandi: 1 745</li><li>Sea Point: 1 556</li><li>Harmony Park: 1 451</li><li>Gordon's Bay: 1 396</li><li>Fish Hoek: 1 144</li><li>Milnerton Beach: 813</li><li>Melkbosstrand: 793</li><li>Silwerstroom: 717</li><li>Lagoon Beach: 571</li><li>Big Bay: 476</li><li>Maiden's Cove: 320<br><br> </li></ul><p><strong>End</strong></p><p><br></p> | 2023-12-26T22:00:00Z | GP0|#1d539e44-7c8c-4646-887d-386dc1d95d70;L0|#01d539e44-7c8c-4646-887d-386dc1d95d70|City news;GTSet|#62efe227-07aa-45e7-944c-ceebacca891d | | | | | GP0|#ef3b9290-4059-4d92-ab4d-fb4f550c9a51;L0|#0ef3b9290-4059-4d92-ab4d-fb4f550c9a51|Recreation and Parks Department;GTSet|#2e3de6c1-9951-4747-8f53-470629a399bb;GP0|#91b32b75-e5b2-4c6f-aa36-8403fd64d234;L0|#091b32b75-e5b2-4c6f-aa36-8403fd64d234|Identikidz Programme;GTSet|#2e3de6c1-9951-4747-8f53-470629a399bb;GPP|#d5141e36-ff62-46df-b0f1-9b4b0b021e67;GP0|#9ab12be7-0e0d-462f-8432-312ba4ee14fe;L0|#09ab12be7-0e0d-462f-8432-312ba4ee14fe|Social Development and Early Childhood Development Department;GTSet|#2e3de6c1-9951-4747-8f53-470629a399bb;GP0|#272100f7-934d-4419-9027-2d113fa28ead;L0|#0272100f7-934d-4419-9027-2d113fa28ead|Beach safety;GTSet|#2e3de6c1-9951-4747-8f53-470629a399bb | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
