Heavy rains and gale-force winds from two cold fronts battered the Western Cape on Monday, leading to at least one confirmed death, widespread flooding in informal settlements, school closures, and disruptions to power and transport.
A second powerful cold front reached the province on Monday after one the previous day, intensifying rainfall and winds. The South African Weather Service issued a Level 8 warning for Cape Town and surrounding areas, forecasting up to 200 millimetres of rain and gusts over 100 kilometres per hour.
Residents in areas such as Lwandle described water rapidly filling homes. The City of Cape Town reported flooding in multiple informal settlements including Khayelitsha, Gugulethu and Delft, along with fallen trees, power outages and damaged roads.
Western Cape Education MEC David Maynier announced all schools would close on Tuesday for safety. Gift of the Givers teams distributed aid in affected communities while emergency services responded to incidents including a fatality in Kenilworth when a tree struck a vehicle.
