- Severe weather has caused multiple road closures and incidents in Cape Town.
- Notable incidents include flooding, traffic light outages, and road obstructions.
- An Orange Level 6 Warning for disruptive rain has been issued for the City of Cape Town and surrounding areas.
Severe weather conditions have led to multiple road closures and incidents in Cape Town, causing significant disruptions.
Cape Town road closures and incidents for Tuesday, 9 July 2024
The severe weather in Cape Town has resulted in numerous impacts on the roads this morning, including several accidents, flooded roadways, and obstructions.
Notable incidents reported are:
- Bishop Lavis: Flooding at 35th and Owen has caused the closure of the left lane towards Robert Sobukwe.
- Strandfontein: Traffic lights at Spine Road and Dennegeur Avenue were out of order. The department is currently attending to this issue.
- Constantia: A tree obstructed Bordeaux Road between Brommersvlei and Hohenhort.
- N2 Outbound: Flooding before the ramp to Airport Approach closed the right lane, leading to significant delays.
- CBD: Longmarket Street and Corporation Street were closed due to a sit-in at Parliament. Alternative routes are advised.
- Kraaifontein: A crash at Botfontein Road and Bossa Street obstructed a lane towards Bottelary Road, causing delays.
- Epping: A crash on Jakes Gerwel Drive southbound before Bofors Circle obstructed the left lane, resulting in delays.
- Parkwood: Traffic lights at Klip Road and Prince George Drive were flashing, with the department addressing the issue.
The City of Cape Town’s Disaster Operations Centre has received numerous calls since yesterday, reporting additional flooding in parts of the Metropole.
Affected areas include Khayelitsha, Joe Slovo Park in Milnerton, Sir Lowry’s Pass Village, Nomzamo in Strand, Mfuleni, Driftsands, Masiphumelele, Dunoon, and Gugulethu.
Assessments by the City’s Informal Settlements Management Department, assisted by the Disaster Risk Management Centre, are ongoing to determine the total number of affected residents.
Assistance provided so far includes soft relief by NGO partners, milling material, and relocations where feasible. The Roads Department is addressing reports of affected roadways as they are logged.
Cape Town weather alerts and warnings
An Orange Level 6 Warning for disruptive rain has been issued, expected to impact the City of Cape Town, Drakenstein, and Stellenbosch municipalities. The potential impacts include flooding and possible mudslides.
The weather forecast for Cape Town on Tuesday, 9 July 2024, predicts heavy rain throughout the day with a total precipitation of approximately 45 mm. Temperatures are expected to range between a low of 11°C and a high of 15°C. Winds are anticipated to be strong, reaching speeds up to 14 m/s (50.4 km/h), primarily from the north-northwest.
In addition to the Orange Level 6 Warning for disruptive rain, several other warnings have been issued:
- Yellow Level 4 Warning for Disruptive Rain: Expected over the West Coast, northern parts of Cape Winelands, and western parts of Overberg districts. Anticipated impacts include flooding and damage to roads and bridges.
- Orange Level 6 Warning for Damaging Waves: Expected between Table Bay and Struisbaai.
- Yellow Level 4 Warning for Damaging Waves: Expected between Cape Agulhas and Plettenberg Bay, leading to difficulty in navigation at sea.