A fire fanned by gale-force winds in Glencairn, Cape Town, destroyed several properties and damaged others on Sunday, 7 April. Cape Town authorities braced for severe weather following a level 9 warning. The city's Fire and Rescue Service was alerted just after midday of a fire in Glencairn near Main Road. Rescue services had their hands full trying to curb the spread of the fire, which was being fanned by gale-force winds above Simon’s Town Road, in Echo Road, Glencairn. Rockfalls were also reported on Main Road.
Fire and Rescue Services spokesperson Jermaine Carelse said the first officer on the scene made a quick assessment and called on several resources. They have over 20 firefighting resources on scene with an incident management team set up in the Main Road to coordinate overall strategic decisions. Teams from Table Mountain National Park and Volunteer Wildfire Services were also on the scene assisting city firefighters.
To maximize their efforts, the fire area was divided into three divisions, each concentrating on saving property and minimising the extent of the damage caused by the fire. Initial estimates are that three formal dwellings have been completely destroyed and four partially damaged. Staff also had to evacuate two females from their home as they collapsed. Carelse said all efforts were being made to extinguish the fire.
The South African Weather Service (SAWS) issued a level 9 weather warning for the southern parts of the Cape Winelands and Overberg districts. An intense cut-off low system is moving in over parts of these regions, bringing with it intense downpours and wind. Premier Alan Winde, Western Cape MEC for Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning Anton Bredell, and Provincial Disaster Management Centre head Colin Deiner gave an update on Sunday on preparations by the Western Cape government to manage the impact of the severe weather system that had already affected parts of the province. They appealed to residents and visitors to not take unnecessary risks and listen to the instructions of law enforcement and traffic authorities.
Trains will not be running on the Fish Hoek and Stellenbosch lines on Monday because of debris blown on to the tracks and overhead electrical wires (OHTE). Commuters are advised to make use of their own alternative transport in affected areas until further notice.
Drakenstein Municipality, which falls under the Cape Winelands District Municipality, has been implementing comprehensive disaster management actions in response to gale-force winds that had been hitting the area since Saturday afternoon. The municipality said roads, sports field fences, and other infrastructure were damaged. The strong winds have caused power outages and multiple fires across the municipality.
The SAWS also issued level 6 warnings for disruptive rain and severe thunderstorms in inland cities Bloemfontein, Aliwal North, Kimberley, and Vryburg. It issued level 4 disruptive rain warnings for much of KwaZulu-Natal and level 2 warnings for parts of the Eastern Cape. Common hazards included flooding and damage to infrastructure, property, and small vessels along the coast due to strong winds.
The City of Cape Town has received numerous calls from people wanting to make donations to those affected by the storms and fires. Donations must be directed to humanitarian relief NGOs or dropped at the city’s Disaster Risk Management offices in Goodwood, behind the fire station.
