The Western Cape Government warned members of the public to stay off the roads and remain indoors when a severe storm is expected to hit Cape Town and the Western Cape Tuesday night and Wednesday. Schools have been closed Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the University of Cape Town announced in a press statement from the office of the Vice-Chancellor, Dr Max Price, that its campus would be closed on Wednesday as a precaution in light of the expected severe weather. Stellenbosch University (SU) announced late Tuesday afternoon on Twitter that all exams due to be written on Wednesday would be cancelled because of the storm.
The University of the Western Cape (UWC) also said in a statement from the Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Prof. Vivienne Lawack, that its campus will also be closed for the day.
SU said on its website the Rector’s Management Team decided to postpone exams scheduled for Wednesday and staff members were told to make arrangements to work from home. All SU libraries will also be closed.
The university said it would upload information on the rescheduling of exams later.
MatieMedia publishes the full Western Cape government press release below. The statement contains safety tips and emergency numbers.
The approaching storm Tuesday afternoon, as seen from a rooftop in central Cape Town. PHOTO: Aidan Jones
MEDIA STATEMENT
OFFICE OF THE PREMIER
WESTERN CAPE GOVERNMENT
06 JUNE 2017
RELEASE: IMMEDIATE
IMPORTANT SEVERE WEATHER WARNING – CABINET ISSUES INSTRUCTION FOR ONE DAY CLOSURE OF ALL SCHOOLS TOMORROW
An extraordinary meeting of the Western Cape Cabinet was held this morning regarding the incoming storm, according to the press release.
Provincial Disaster Management and the South African Weather Service briefed cabinet on the possible impact of the severe weather.
At this stage, current weather forecast methodology predicts:
- High winds of up to 90km per hour or higher are possible in some areas;
- Rains of up to 50mm or more over a 24 hour period across various areas;
- Very high seas are expected with swells reaching up to 10 – 12m
Disaster Management is required to prepare for the worst and ensure that all the necessary precautions and operational plans are in place.
While our rescue agencies are well equipped and prepared to handle disasters, we strongly advise members of the public to stay off the roads and remain indoors. It is imperative that all measures are taken to avoid any harm or possible loss of life.
The work of the emergency rescue services will also be made easier if the roads are clear of unnecessary traffic.
We therefore urge members of the public to refrain from using the roads for non-essential purposes, starting from later tonight (Tuesday 6 June) and tomorrow (Wednesday 7 June 2017).
Cabinet has further taken the decision to close all schools in the province for one day on Wednesday (tomorrow).
The Department of Education is currently working on communicating with schools, parents and guardians across the province. This decision has been taken in the interests of the safety of our learners across the province.
These are extraordinary circumstances, which require the serious attention and consideration of everyone.
The Western Cape Disaster Management Centre has taken extensive measures to prepare for the worst possible conditions – while assisted by various emergency service agencies.
The massive storm can be seen clearly in this weather map. PHOTO: wxmaps.org
This includes:
- The Provincial Disaster Management Operations Centre is fully activated to monitor and coordinate responses
- This centre is linked in to City of Cape Town’s Law Enforcement Team, the SAPS joint operations centre, Provincial Traffic, NSRI and Health Emergency Centres
- Our specialised technical rescue team of 160 responders is on standby to carry out swift water rescue
- We have an open line with the South African Defence Force command post in Pretoria should additional aircrafts be required for search & rescue
- The Department of Water & Sanitation are monitoring rivers and will provide updates on potential flooding
Members of the public are urged to pay regular attention to the various official Western Cape Government communication channels for updates throughout the 48 hour period. These include:
- The Western Cape Government Twitter Page: @WesternCapeGov and the
- The Western Cape Government Facebook Page: @WesternCapeGovernment
We will also be working closely with radio and television stations to provide official updates.
In case of emergencies, we encourage people to report any incidents on 112 or 10117. The press statement urges members of the public to desist from sending out any unauthorised communication. This could cause confusion and raise unnecessary panic.
The emergency numbers for each district are as follows:
Cape Winelands: Langeberg Municipality 0860 88 1111
Eden District: 044 805 5071
Central Karoo: 023 414 2603
West Coast: 022 433 8700
Overberg: 028 271 8111
City of Cape Town: 107 landline or 021 480 7700
Under these extraordinary circumstances, Disaster Management are preparing for the worst, as they are required to do. In this instance, we err on the side of caution rather than be caught unprepared.