Cape Town – Capetonians have been warned to stay away from the beach as waves are expected to reach 6m high as two cold fronts hit the peninsula.
The City of Cape Town’s Disaster Risk Management Centre is putting contingency measures in place, after the SA Weather Service warned of cold and wet conditions across the country in the next few days.
Spokesperson Wilfred Schrevian Evan Solomons-Johannes said the first of two cold fronts is expected to make landfall on Wednesday, while the second will start developing later the day.
“Snowfall has also been forecast in high-lying areas, with very cold conditions setting in. Strong onshore winds and persistent, widespread showers which could result in localised flooding in places have also been predicted,” he said.
Solomons-Johannes said very rough seas with waves in excess of 6m are predicted for the coastal areas.
Members of the public are urged to stay away from areas like the Atlantic Seaboard, False Bay coastline and Strand/Gordon’s Bay beachfront during this period.
“Property owners along the coast need to be prepared for possible storm surge impacts to their property.”
The City’s executive director for safety and security, Richard Bosman, said the City of Cape Town has put in place measures to try and mitigate the impact.
“Our operational staff will be on standby to assist residents. We urge the public to exercise caution, especially on the roads, as we tend to see an increase in motor vehicle accidents during bad weather periods.”
The City of Cape Town has put a plan in place to reduce flood risk to minimise the impact on residents.
The weather is expected to start clearing by Friday.
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