A deluge in the drought-stricken Western Cape has been both welcomed and cursed, as early-morning traffic was severely disrupted on Monday.
Weather forecaster Keith Moir said a black south-easter, caused by a ”cut-off low-pressure system”, had brought heavy rainfall to the region over the 24 hours to 8am on Monday.
Rainfall figures included 116mm at Grabouw, 164mm for Hermanus, 97mm for Cape Point, 62mm for Slangkop, 60mm for Malmesbury, 34mm for the Cape Town city bowl and 42mm for Beaufort West.
Moir hopes the ”very good” rainfall, especially in Grabouw, will start raising the level of the Steenbras Dam in that area.
Rain in desiccated Malmesbury and Beaufort West is also sure to please farmers.
The weather is expected to be clear and warm by Tuesday.
But for commuters to work, it was a different story, with flooded stormwater drains and defective traffic lights causing havoc.
Along Victoria Road to Cape Town, a main thoroughfare for taxis and buses, vehicles were briefly veering into empty oncoming lanes to avoid two taxis that had broken down in the water.
Provincial traffic spokesperson Brian Phillips said the N7 highway from Malmesbury was clear, as was the West Coast R27 route.
There were unconfirmed reports of an accident on the N2 near Grabouw disrupting traffic.
Phillips said Clarence Drive, a coastal road from Gordon’s Bay to Kleinmond, was completely closed because of mudslides and rockfalls.
The Vissershoek road, linking the N7 to Durbanville, was also closed after part of the road washed away.
Phillips said the region’s main passes, Du Toitskloof, Sir Lowry’s and Baineskloof, are all open now. Baineskloof had been closed earlier on Monday.
Meanwhile, Cape Town disaster management services reported flooding in the South Peninsula, Bellville, Durbanville, Milnerton and Helderburg areas.
”Motorists must take caution as many traffic lights are out of order,” said spokesperson Johann Minnie.
Hail damage was reported from Strand to Durbanville.
Minnie said comprehensive damage assessment will be done later on Monday.
”There have been widespread but localised flooding and damage in several areas, but we still need to put all our reports together.”
Some informal settlements were also affected in the storm.
No reports of deaths or injuries have been received, Minnie said. — Sapa