Cape Town, South Africa – A powerful storm surge caused widespread flooding and damage along the coast of South Africa on Saturday, killing one person and causing millions of dollars in losses.
Sea water stormed homes and restaurants-Image Source: Sky News
The storm surge, which was caused by a cold front that moved through the country, pushed waves up to 4 meters high onto the shore. The waves crashed through seawalls and barriers, flooding streets and homes in coastal communities.
In one incident, a 92-year-old woman was killed when she was swept away by a wave while walking along the beach in Leentjiesklip, a town located about 30 kilometers south of Cape Town.
Videos and photos of the flooding and damage have been shared widely on social media. In one video, a wave crashes through the windows of a restaurant in Kalk Bay, a fishing village located about 30 kilometers from Cape Town.
Another video from Gordon’s bay Cape Town, South Africa….#CapeTown #SouthAfrica #GordonsBay #flood #floods #flooding #waves #inondations #alagamentos #tormenta #storm #unwetter #CapeWeather #hurricanelee #ClimateEmergency #ClimateActionNow pic.twitter.com/Ir6eNU6ndo
— mishikasingh (@mishika_singh) September 17, 2023
➡️https://t.co/gtdo0olHRN
South Africa Is Sinking! Rough Waves Tsunami in Cape Town! Flooding in Gordon’s Bay#CapeTown #SouthAfrica #GordonsBay #flood #floods #flooding #waves #inondations #alagamentos #tormenta #storm #unwetter #CapeWeather #hurricanelee tsunami south africa pic.twitter.com/SlHVDlkWHZ— natural disaster (@natural79939854) September 17, 2023
The South African Weather Service (SAWS) issued a warning about the storm surge, which remained in effect until Monday. The SAWS said that the storm surge was likely to cause further flooding and damage, and it urged people to stay away from the coastline.
The storm surge caused widespread damage to property, including homes, businesses, and infrastructure. In Cape Town, the storm surge damaged several roads and bridges, and it also caused flooding in several low-lying areas.
The storm surge also caused damage to tourism in the region. Several popular tourist destinations, such as the beaches of Cape Town and the Table Mountain National Park, were closed due to the flooding.
The South African government has pledged to provide assistance to those affected by the storm surge.
