Fires and floods threaten many in South Africa

We have had a harsh week of weather, with icy temperatures and driving rain, causing a significant amount of flooding.

As usual the worst hit are the poorest of the poor, living in informal settlements without drainage. 49 townships are said to be affected and 38000 people.

“It was terrible. If four major storms hit consecutively, there is nothing one can do about it. The problem is that people settled in low-lying areas,” said Mayor Helen Zille.

As it was explained to me by my Geography teacher. the Cape Point area is actually an island and the large land area in-between is basically a low lying sand bank. So when heavy rain comes they always flood.

Alternatively fires are ravaging KwaZulu-Natal with at least 26 dead from the blaze, also in rural areas. Hundreds of people have been left homeless, again these are the poorer people living in rural areas. There is often much combustible material in and around these shacks and often paraffin used for heating and cooking adds to the problem.

Fortunately where I am in Blouberg, we did not get any flooding, just a some icy cold nights and a few of the usual power outages. I guess we will get our when global warming makes Blouberg and undersea attraction.