Disaster management teams across the Overberg remain on high alert even though no further storms bringing heavy rain and gale-force winds have been predicted for the remainder of the week.

A slight cold front is expected over the weekend, causing the mercury to plummet even further after heavy rains and strong winds on Monday.

Reinard Geldenhuys, Overberg District Municipality’s head of Disaster Management, said the improved weather conditions bring a much needed respite for emergency workers that have been working tirelessly for nearly two weeks.

“This means we can focus on mop-up operations, especially in the areas that were hardest hit by the storms,” he stated.

One person lost his life when he tried to cross the Buffeljags-rivier near Swellendam.

“The man who has not yet been identified tried to cross the river on Friday,” Geldenhuys reported. “His body was recovered by police divers on Saturday.”

He warned people to never underestimate the power of water and to exercise extreme caution when crossing low bridges, streams or rivers. “Stay away if you don’t know how deep the water is,” Geldenhuys added.

The Breede River, said Geldenhuys, reached its peak over the weekend but levels are subsiding. This increase in the water levels caused some houses along the river bank between Cape Infanta and Malgas, especially Matjieskloof and Riverine, to flood.

A number of roads were closed due to flooding, rock falls and mudslides but the majority have been reopened. The Franschhoek pass between Franschhoek and Villiersdorp remains closed and the ferry at Malgas was also out of operation.

Geldenhuys reports that gale force winds blew the roofs off a number of houses in Swellendam and Genadendal.

Theewaterskloof Municipality’s Acting Municipal Manager Wilfred Solomons-Johannes warned motorists to exercise caution as gale force winds have caused a number of trucks to overturn on the bridge across the Theewaterskloof Dam near Villiersdorp.

Power supply, water EffecteD

Eskom teams were kept busy attending to numerous faults as result of storm damage across the province. Several towns were left without electricity for more than 36 hours after four pylons on the Houwhoek-Hermanus line were damaged. Residents of the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley as Tesselaarsdal experienced the same problem.

Onrus residents were later left without power again due to a tree that fell and damaged overhead lines. Parts of Villiersdorp also suffered power outages.

TWK Municipality assured residents of Villiersdorp that tap water that was discoloured as result of high rain volumes is safe to drink. The municipality also assisted families in the Villiersdorp area by pumping water from waterlogged graves so funerals could go ahead.

Mop-up operations

Solomons-Johannes reports that residents of Villiersdorp and Grabouw were the hardest hit.

“Many of the known flood prone areas in Grabouw that were deemed high risk prior to the start of the winter rainfall, where mitigation measures could be implemented, were spared from the flooding, however, low-lying areas in general have been affected,” he stated.

Informal structures suffered water damage and residents in Protea Heights, Extension 11 and Goniwe Park in Grabouw were also affected by the heavy rains. Four families had to be evacuated from their homes.

“One house in Villiersdorp is on an edge and risks collapse due to soil that washed away. A vehicle was also caught in the eroded path,” said Solomons-Johannes. “The TWK disaster response teams assisted both the homeowner and vehicle owner to secure their property.

“Teams from across the municipal area along with councillors and officials rolled up their sleeves to distribute humanitarian aid to residents, while ground teams and traffic authorities worked tirelessly to clear roads, divert traffic and ensure residents’ safety. Sandbags were also made available to anyone who needed it to secure their properties.”

TWK Deputy Mayor John Michels and a number of officials visited Botrivier over the weekend to discuss plans regarding the dam that had started overflowing. He reported that storm water channels were cleared in order to divert some of the water from the dam.

Solomons-Johannes confirmed that the TWK Municipality’s disaster response teams remain on high alert. The disaster response teams consist of rapid service-delivery response teams, engineering crews as well as specialised and technical experts.

Residents of the TWK area can contact the Theewaterskloof Emergency Contact Centre toll-free on 080 021 4730 to report flooding, storm damage and any emergency situation.

Overstrand Municipality released a statement on Monday warning of further damaging winds, disruptive rain and rough seas. The warning states another cold front will clip the southern parts of the province today (Wednesday), bringing cloudy conditions with light rain over the south-west and southern coastal areas.

Another weak cold front is expected to pass over the region on Saturday and temperatures will drop, said Overstrand Municipal Manager Dean O’Neill. Residents of the region can call 028 313 8111 for infrastructure emergencies and 028 312 2400 in case of a fire, flood or medical emergency.