Man swept away by Western Cape floods
Officials were searching for the body of a mentally handicapped man swept away by flood water in the Langeberg district, the Western Cape.
Officials were searching for the body of a mentally handicapped man swept away by flood water in the Langeberg district, the Western Cape disaster management centre said on Wednesday. Spokesman Colin Deiner said the man had been missing since Tuesday. No further details were available.
Parts of the Western Cape had experienced heavy rain since Monday. Near Laingsburg, parts of the N1 had to be closed due to flooding, but the road was reopened around 9am. Traffic on several major roads was also disrupted. "River levels are rising and should it pose a danger, the N1 will be closed [again] as a precautionary measure," said Deiner.
There had been reports of flooding in some houses in the Breed River valley, Laingsburg, Hessequa, and George. "The residents from the Buffeljagsrivier informal settlement [in the Overberg district municipality] were accommodated in the Swellendam community hall. However, the weather is clearing and in all probability they will return to their homes during the course of the day,"
Deiner said in a statement. Several farms had also been cut off due to the rain. Officials were monitoring rivers in the area, some of which were overflowing. Some government departments had sent officials to monitor and provide help in the affected areas.
-Sapa