A tree fell on several cars and a telephone pole in Hope Street. Picture: Armand Hough / African News Agency (ANA)
South Africans are advised to stop spreading misinformation and fake or old videos on the storm that wreaked havoc at the long weekend.
A video is doing the rounds on social media with a caption suggesting that it took place during the storm.
The brief six-second video shows what look like a massive wave, seemingly out of place, surging onto the road, with people caught in its path. The video raised questions about the origin and implications of this occurrence.
However, eagle-eyed users said it was not Cape Town nor was it even South Africa, and that it might have occurred earlier this year in the Maldives.
City of Cape Town departments are in the process of assessments and mopping up operations across the metro. The following have been assessed by Disaster Management teams:
Informal settlements in Hangberg Hout Bay, Grassy Park, Kampies IS, Egoli IS, Oasis IS, Ocean View and Fish Hoek, Dunoon, Zwe Zwe, Bloekombos, Kraaifontein, Sir Lowry’s Pass Village, Macassar and Khayelitsha.
A total of 12,000 people have been affected by the storm.
In a tragic turn of events, eight people died by electrocution, four were children.
The inclement weather resulted in power outages, property damage and road closures.
In terms of infrastructure, a bridge collapse in Sandvlei, Macassar is being attended to and the Wemmershoek Dam is opened at stage 1 and the dam level is stabilised.
Fallen trees had devastating effects as a fallen tree caused a burst water pipe in Kloof Nek, Camps Bay and in Simon’s Town, Fire and Rescue is assisting with the uprooted pine trees that fell on a housing structure.
The SPCA is also assisting residents in Macassar with the feeding of farm animals and in Mfuleni, as some farmers lost animals during the storm.
IOL