Strong tides and ferocious winds created a tremendous swell over the weekend on the popular tourist beachfront close to Cape Town; in some spots, the water overtopped the dykes and flooded streets and homes.
According to Craig Lambinon, spokesman for the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI), a 92-year-old woman passed away in the heavy weather that started on Saturday.
The water unexpectedly rushed in through the windows of a beachside restaurant in Kalk Bay, a fishing community tucked in an open bay on the Atlantic, around thirty miles from Cape Town.
“I still get goose bumps,” admits Asemahle Daniels, a 26-year-old waitress. Cloth in hand, she takes a break after spending most of Sunday morning mopping up the floor.
On the pier, a handful of curious onlookers watch excitedly as the rollers break against a lighthouse: “You have to see this with your own eyes at least once in your life”, enthuses 44-year-old Yuri Ray.
According to Lehlohonolo Thobela, a forecaster at the South African Meteorological Institute, “large waves” might be produced by a rising tide with an above-average coefficient.
On Saturday, the water rushing through the streets of numerous communities close to Cape Town carried away trash bins and parked cars, creating stunning photographs that were extensively shared on social media.
The 3,000 kilometers of the nation’s coastline are under a warning from the National Meteorological Institute till Monday. Numerous beaches in the area have been blocked, and emergency services have advised caution.
