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Safety tips for extreme wind and rain in Cape Town this week

[UPDATE 07/06: The city’s disaster management department has a number of helpful tips for extreme conditions such as flooding and sever storms, as well as gale force winds]

Capetonians are bracing for extreme weather conditions as a result of a cold front that will sweep through the Western Cape this week.

The city has issued safety tips for gale force winds and possible flooding.

The South African Weather Service said the public can expect heavy rain leading to flooding, gale-force coastal and interior winds, snowfalls, storm surges and high sea conditions Wednesday 7th June and Thursday 8th June.

“All city services and relevant external agencies are on standby to deal with the consequences of the severe weather that has been forecast. This includes clearing away uprooted trees, attending to other infrastructure like roadways affected by strong winds or potential flooding, and dealing with any potential power disruptions, etc,” said Cape Town MMC for Safety and Security and Social Services, JP Smith.

“The city will also make emergency shelter and associated humanitarian relief available in the event that any people are displaced as a result of the frontal system,” Smith added.

The city issued the following tips for residents to stay safe during the extreme conditions:

  • Make sure that drainage pipes on your property are not blocked
  • Make sure that the stormwater gutters around your property are free from debris
  • Check for dead or burnt trees that have the potential of falling onto your property and causing damage
  • Place sandbags where necessary to protect critical areas
  • Check the terms of your insurance policy with regard to flood and mud damage
  • In informal settlements, raise the floor level of your home to be higher than the land outside
  • Listen to weather warnings that are issued by the South African Weather Service

“We further appeal to the public to report any emergency incidents to our Public Emergency Communication Centre so that we can respond as speedily as possible and mitigate the fallout. Residents should dial 021 480 7700 from a cellphone or 107 from a landline. I advise the public to ensure that they have this number saved on their contact list for easy access in case of an emergency,” Smith said.

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