Floods in South Africa by Tomasz Schafernaker
Days of torrential rain across parts of South Africa have led to floods that have washed away bridges, caused mudslides and forced hundreds to evacuate from their homes.
One of the worst affected areas was Cape Town where wild weather across the Western Cape left many homeless. Thousands of buildings in the city have been flooded, and mudslides have been blocking roads. The havoc left across the Western Cape could lead to government officials declaring parts of the province a disaster area.
As the downpours continue, flood waters have risen, and rivers have burst their banks, inundating roads, plantations and houses. From Citrusdal to Klawer, vast areas of citrus plantations were flooded, along with a number of farms along the Olifants River, which burst its banks at the weekend.
The recent heavy rains have been attributed to a low pressure system which has remained close to South Africa for the past few days. A series of cold fronts have brought pulses of heavy rain to the same areas with some places seeing in excess of 150mm (6 inches).
With more rain expected through today, further flooding is likely. However, some respite may be on the way as the weather turns drier towards the end of this week, with some sunshine forecast for most parts.
