Cape Town Battles Surge In Weather Disasters

Cape Town is preparing for another challenging winter after experiencing a staggering 200 rise in weather-related incidents between July and December 2024.

The surge in cases has put immense pressure on emergency services, with authorities warning residents to take precautions before the next cold season arrives.

Strong winds were a major culprit behind the thousands of reported incidents, while fire outbreaks in both formal and informal settlements also saw an increase. Although fewer homes were affected overall, formal residential fires spiked by 64, while informal fires rose by nearly 11, as reported by News24 .

Fire season, which typically runs from November to May, was intensified by a combination of dry conditions, persistent winds, and rapid vegetation growth following an unusually wet winter.

Over five months, more than 9 500 fires burned across the Western Cape, damaging over 135 000 hectares of land - surpassing the previous season's 7 200 wildfires.