South Africans watched in shock this week as severe weather moved across parts of the country, causing major damage, destruction and disruption in the Western Cape and Eastern Cape.
Winds exceeding 110km/h flipped trucks and containers over as if they were toys. Roofs were blown off houses, shopping centres and churches. Nothing was spared, as seen in Pacaltsdorp, George, where a massive roof was ripped off a church.
Weather patterns are changing globally, and our country is not immune. The April 2021 floods in KwaZulu-Natal and last year’s deadly floods in the Eastern Cape are but a few examples of extreme weather in our country. It is getting violent and more frequent. Climate change is real, and we have to be prepared for it.
In the City of Cape Town, the metro reported that 26 informal settlements were affected, with nearly 200 homes flooded or destroyed, leaving nearly 6,000 vulnerable people homeless.
The Cape metro said that over 10,000 structures were damaged, affecting more than 40,000 people.
The N1 highway was closed in certain parts, with footage circulated showing huge rockfalls and areas evacuated.
Unlike the floods that hit the Eastern Cape in June, which claimed 95 lives, only six deaths have been reported so far in this week’s storm. Four of those were apparently caused by falling trees.
These extreme weather events have also shown us how important readiness is in keeping people safe. We must educate communities to heed warnings by the weather service and relevant authorities, including when travelling, to avert disasters.
Taking proactive measures, as the education department did in the Western Cape by closing all schools, is commendable. The days of being reactive are gone.
We commend emergency management teams for moving fast, assisting those in need, restoring electricity and clearing roads. The disaster management teams were also well prepared and kept a close eye on the developing situation.
The storm clouds have passed, and the destructive weather has moved on, which means it is now time for us to do what we do best — unite! Just like we did during the Covid-19 pandemic, it is now time for all of us to show our support to those in need.
When times get tough, our instinctive reaction is to step up and assist others. It’s in our DNA. And nobody needs it more now than the people left with little after the storm. We urge you to play your part by helping those affected get back on their feet again.
