South African relief services said on Monday that they were feeding about 15 000 people in emergency shelters after heavy rains hit low-lying areas in Cape Town.
”The number of people affected is about 15 000 going by the fact that we are providing meals for that number,” said Johann Minnie, spokesperson for the city’s disaster management centre.
But he added: ”We don’t have a European-style flood situation with fast flowing water but only rising ground water after heavy rains which started last night [Sunday] and are continuing today. [Monday]”
Disaster management set up 12 emergency shelters in the affected areas and the Red Cross, the Salvation Army and several Muslim-based non-governmental organisations were helping to feed people, Minnie said.
Weather forecasters said the rains would stop on Monday night but resume on Friday, he added. – Sapa