Two cold fronts are moving across the Cape this weekend with wind speeds expected to pick up towards the latter part of the weekend, the City of Cape Town warned in a media release.
A yellow level-2 warning for wind and wave damage from late today (Saturday 18 April) until Monday 20 April has been issued.
According to the South African Weather Service, light to moderate showers will continue until Sunday.
Pre-winter assessments
“While no severe warnings accompany the forecast, it presents an opportunity to residents to do some pre-winter assessments and mitigate the risk of potential impacts when the seasons truly change,” said JP Smith, Mayco member for safety and security.
“Should the predicted showers and wind be significant enough, they could help residents identify any potential leaks on their properties, loose roof tiles or sheets and any other weather-related risks that could pose a challenge once winter truly sets in,” he said.
Major impacts
“We urge the public to do checks around the home this weekend and make a list of anything that needs attention. More preparation means improved mitigation of major impacts during severe weather spells, which in turn relieves the pressure on emergency, enforcement and other service departments,” he said.
“The City’s disaster risk management centre coordinates Cape Town’s planning and response to any adverse weather-related impacts. Public education and awareness is a critical element,” Smith said.
Flood-wise campaign
Charlotte Powell, spokesperson for disaster risk management, said the City is ramping up its flood-wise campaign.
“This includes community-based risk assessments, going door-to-door to assist communities with tips on how they can safeguard themselves and their families, and of course also ensuring that City departments are pulling together through our Winter Readiness Task Team, which meets every two weeks and will switch to weekly meetings from May,” Powell said.
- To report any emergency incident, call the City’s public emergency communication centre on 021 480 7700.
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