Severe weather forces Western Cape school closures during exam period

Severe weather in the Western Cape has forced the closure of schools during the exam period, according to Garden Route Disaster Management Chief Gerhard Otto.

Otto said authorities are still waiting for emergency shelter equipment to repair 684 households damaged by the storm.

In Klip River, a man and a woman attempted to cross the swollen Klip River late Thursday. Both were swept away. Emergency Medical Services rescued the woman, but the man died. His body was recovered on Friday during a search operation. Another body was recovered on Saturday after a similar attempt to cross rising waters in the Garden Route.

Otto urged the public to refrain from crossing low-lying rivers to avoid more fatalities.

He said that the first storm affected George, Knysna, and Plet, with more than 300 millimetres of rain measured. The second storm brought similar amounts, with 386 millimetres recorded in the Nature’s Valley area. Low-lying areas flooded. Otto said many people were cut off and the disruption has been significant.