Extreme weather-related incidents claimed the lives of three adults and four children on Monday as severe storms brought heavy rains and strong winds to Cape Town, the legislative capital of South Africa.
According to local media reports, three people died and 21 others were injured after a bus overturned on a wet road in Cape Town on Monday morning.
While the specific cause of the accident was still under investigation, it happened amid heavy storms in Western Cape Province, the southernmost province of South Africa where Cape Town is located.
Some media reports indicated that the bus had just pulled away after having a passenger disembark, and as it gained momentum, a strong crosswind caused it to tip over.
In a separate incident, the police confirmed that four children lost their lives in the Driftsands informal settlement, about 20 km from the center of Cape Town, “after being electrocuted due to flooding and illicit electrical connections,” as per a statement released by Alderman JP Smith, the mayoral committee member responsible for safety and security for the City of Cape Town, on his social media account.
“Our thoughts go out to the families of the victims affected by the outcome of these severe weather conditions,” he said in the statement.
Over the past two days, extreme weather conditions have plunged Western Cape into disarray, resulting in extensive flooding, property damages, road closures, and power interruptions. The South African Weather Service has issued an Orange Level 9 (out of 10) Warning for disruptive rains for the province.
Weather conditions in the area are expected to return to normal from Tuesday.
