City of Cape Town helps thousands of flood-affected, where it has been able to help.
Cape Town, South Africa (07 July 2021) – Hundreds of flood victims whose homes were deluged in the past week are to receive help promised to them by the City of Cape Town.
The City’s teams have conducted more than 200 onsite assessments thus far of flood-affected dwellings in informal settlements after the severe rainfall experienced over the past week.
It also provided more than 2 000 flooding assistance packets and other support where it is possible to do so.
“Our informal settlements teams have handed out more than 2 000 flooding support packets already, over and above the individual plastic sheeting and sandbags, where it has been possible to do this,” the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Human Settlements, Malusi Booi said.
Prior to the winter rains, the City implemented flood-mitigation measures such as digging trenches, delivering milling material to raise the ground level and providing plastic sheeting and sandbags where possible. These interventions continue. The City continues to work on obtaining soft relief from relief organisations and the South African Social Security Agency.
“City departments, including Informal Settlements Management, Roads and Stormwater and Disaster Risk Management, continue to do their utmost to help residents and they remain on the ground 24/7. City officials continue to help with the digging of trenches and by constructing canals to lead flood water away from affected areas where possible and monitoring high-risk priority areas on a daily basis to determine flooding risks and occurrences, while giving advice to residents on how to reduce risks,” said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, JP Smith.
The risk of fires during winter especially is also huge. Never leave an open flame unattended.
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