(Cape Town) Unusual waves reached an average of four metres: On tourist coasts near Cape Town, strong tides and violent winds caused strong swells over the weekend, and water overtopped dams and submerged streets and homes in some places.
A 92-year-old woman died due to the bad weather that began on Saturday, Craig Lapinon, a spokesman for marine rescuers, said in an interview with AFP on Sunday.
At a beachfront restaurant in Kalk Bay, a fishing village located in a bay open to the Atlantic Ocean, about thirty kilometers from Cape Town, water surprised customers by rushing through the windows.
“I still get goosebumps,” admits Asmali Daniels, a 26-year-old waitress. Rag in hand, she takes a break after spending a good part of Sunday morning sweeping the floor.
On the pier, a group of curious people excitedly watch the pulleys crashing down on a lighthouse: “You have to see this with your own eyes at least once in your life,” exclaims 44-year-old Yuri Ray.
A forecaster from the South African Meteorological Institute, Leluhonolo Thobela, explained to AFP that a high tide at a factor above average could cause “high-amplitude waves.”
In impressive photos widely circulated on social media, water flowing through the streets of several towns near Cape Town swept away garbage bins and parked cars on Saturday.
The National Institute of Meteorology issued a warning for the country’s coastal strip, which is about 3,000 kilometers long, until Monday. Emergency services called for caution and closed several beaches in the area.
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