It is finally a peaceful Wednesday morning in Cape Town, South Africa. Almost like nothing has happened. Amid the calmness lie the evidence of mother nature's sheer power. Natural disaster, after natural disaster, after natural disaster. So what exactly happened here?
Water Crisis
It started with a battling three year long drought, with our main feeder Dams hitting low levels of 9% of capacity. Cape Town officially has enough water for 88days. During the month of May, the greater Western Cape was finally declared a Disaster Zone. Some pictures to give you an idea of the water crisis:
The Theewaterskloof Dam, Cape Town's main source of water, on May 10 2017
The Berg River Dam on May 11 2017
The Voel Vlei Dam on May 17, 2017
Finally... Rain...
The South Arican weather station finally predict some rain as a relief. This relief quickly turned south when the prediction turned into the worst storm in more than 40 years. The storm brought in a cold front, winds of over 100km/hr and massive rains.
The storm lashing the Cape Peninsula has wrought havoc, uprooting trees, damaging shopping centres and collapsing homes. At the end, the storm claimed the lives of 5 people and damaged more than 130 schools.
Sea Point promenade on June 7 2017
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One of the many road closures across Cape Town after 100km/hr gail force winds
Raging Fires
As the Cape Town storm caused havoc along the coastline, in-land around Knysna experienced the largest natural disaster in its its history when fire and wind combined to create raging fires sweeping through small villages. More than 10 000 people was displaced, 15 lives was claimed with over 300 buildings and homes completely destroyed.
Raging fire sweep the small town of Knysna on June 7 2017
knysna Golf Club burning down on June 8 2017
Aftermath
The courage shown by everyday normal South Africans was truly amazing. People from all walks of life came together to assist one another, as mother nature showed her true power of destruction. At the end, billions of Rands of destruction and peoples lives ruin forever. Even though we have a serious water crisis still, we will again grow this beautiful province we call home.
As all settled across the Western Cape of South Africa, it leaves me thinking...
I am no scientist, I cannot claim to know much around global warming... But what I can say is that I have been living in Cape Town for the past 32 years, my whole life, and this is just not normal. The weather is not normal anymore. I can feel it change, season after season... year after year...
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Until my next post, time to steam on...
Thomas van der Spuy
Picture Credits needs to go to EWN (EyeWitnessNews)