Heavy rains trigger flooding, evacuations in South Africa's Western Cape

CAPE TOWN, June 4 (Xinhua) -- Heavy rains over the past two days caused flooding, road closures, power outages and evacuations in South Africa's Western Cape Province, authorities said on Thursday.

According to a statement from the Western Cape Government, the South African Weather Service reported rainfall totals of between 50 mm and 100 mm across the Central Karoo, while some areas in the eastern Garden Route have received up to 200 mm of rain since Wednesday.

The provincial government said the N1 highway was closed at Leeu Gamka in the Central Karoo due to flooding, and several other roads across the province were also closed or affected by flooding, weather-related damage and rockfalls.

In the Garden Route district, dozens of low-lying bridges and river crossings were flooded, resulting in additional road closures and hazardous travel conditions. The district municipality said 93 residents who had been precautionarily evacuated remained in temporary accommodation and continued to receive assistance.

Parts of the province were also experiencing electricity outages, with the national utility company and municipal teams working to restore supply to affected communities.

"The situation remains stable, but conditions can change rapidly as the weather system continues to move through the affected areas. We urge residents to remain vigilant, heed all warnings, and avoid taking unnecessary risks," Western Cape Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning Anton Bredell said in the statement.

The severe weather also affected neighboring Eastern Cape Province, where Kouga Municipality reported flooding and road closures caused by persistent heavy rainfall.

The latest disruptions followed another bout of severe weather that struck six South African provinces, including the Western Cape and Eastern Cape, in May, prompting the government to declare the event a national disaster after heavy rain, flooding, strong winds and snowfall caused widespread damage and disruptions to essential services. Enditem