[imagesource:freerangestock]

This weekend’s weather was wild.

A couple of vehicles, including trucks, were launched off the N1 bridge just before the Huguenot Tunnel outside Paarl, roofs split and shattered in the wind blowing over Gordon’s Bay, while trees broke and debris was flung into the roads all over the rest of the Western Cape this weekend.

Not to mention all the fires that raged, with flames fanned by gale-force winds destroying several properties in Glencairn, as well as the iconic Blaauwklippen Manor House on one of the oldest wine farms in Stellenbosch.

An intense cut-off low system moved in over the Western Cape, following a level 9 weather warning issued by the South African Weather Service (SAWS) for the southern parts of the Cape Winelands and Overberg districts, bringing with it intense downpours, crazy strong winds, and damage in its wake.

The intense winds pushed a truck trailer component off the N1 as it approached the Huguenot Tunnel, just outside Paarl – as if it were a toy.

IOL notes the viral video of the incident, showing one truck blown off its wheels and lying on the road on its side, while another truck approaching the tunnel sways with the wind and falls off the bridge.

@TrafficSA #HugenotTunnel #viaduct *video not mine pic.twitter.com/WBzKfiPKp6

— Terence T (@wallaby_fan) April 6, 2024

The truck driver is safe and has not been harmed, confirmed Mike Vinello-Lippert, the South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) project manager for the Huguenot Tunnel.

In a separate incident, a caravan was ripped from a bakkie driving over the bridge, with the caravan being shoved over the edge as well. At least the people in the car appear to have been spared.

The Breede Valley Farm Watch Fire and Rescue announced on Facebook that the Huguenot Tunnel was closed so that rescue personnel could assess the situation and help those affected. The Chapmans Peak Drive was also closed due to adverse weather conditions.

Baden Powell Drive was also blocked off at Coastal Park and at Khayelitsha due to heavy winds and sand storms.

Cape Town – Baden Powell Drive (Latest): ROAD CLOSED at Coastal Park and also at Khayelitsha due to sand https://t.co/WWX6CrTVSZ

— TrafficSA (@TrafficSA) April 7, 2024

Capetonians took to social media to report damage to their homes due to the strong winds, with some posting pictures and footage of roofs being blown off across the city.

Capetown today in Gordons bay wind so strong pic.twitter.com/IAHN7MB4hR

— Tennyson Sani (@Sa90740Sani) April 7, 2024

Banna!!!! Gordonsbay#CapeStorm pic.twitter.com/HUSHwYScpI

— Shane Jeremy Hendricks (@ShaneJeremy1) April 7, 2024

Cape Town traffic officers have been out in full force assisting with incidents where trees have been uprooted across the city. The howling winds did some major damage to the trees in and around Helderberg, Somerset West, Strand and Gordon’s Bay:

@southafricanlandscapesStorm damage around the Helderberg, between Somerset West, Strand and Gordon’s Bay. Winds reached over 100km/h #storm #Capetown #capetownstorm♬ Storm – Azimov

Say goodbye to the famous Stellies Strawberry off the R44 Route:

The severe wind and fire damaged several portions of Stellenbosch, destroying a 300-year-old Blaauwklippen Manor House and Jonkershuis. Several oak trees on Dorp Street were also uprooted. The catastrophic winds also caused damage to a strawberry plantation in Stellenbosch. pic.twitter.com/bFbrLJhj8m

— Kaya 959 News (@KayaNews) April 7, 2024

Premier Alan Winde, Western Cape MEC for Local Government, Environmental Affairs, said strong winds had already pummelled various areas, fuelling fires, particularly in the Cape Winelands – most of which had been contained on Sunday.

According to the Fire Services of the Cape Winelands District Municipality, the number of fires responded to exceeds 24, per Cape Town ETC. As per the municipality, despite the challenging windy conditions, the fire on Pappagaaiberg in Stellenbosch has been contained, while another raged in Simonsberg, Pniel, and Jamestown. There was also one on Mitchell’s Pass, which was managed fast, while CWDM Fire Services assisted in battling two fires on the borders of the City of Cape Town. Three firefighting vehicles responded to a fire between the N1 and R304. On Saturday, fire teams responded to a fire at the Durbanville and Klipheuwel crossing.

Conflicting reports put the number of destroyed properties in Glencairn between three and 12, per Daily Maverick.

Then, the Blaauwklippen Manor House, built on one of the oldest wine farms in Stellenbosch, was gutted by a blaze on Sunday morning, per News24:

“The fire spread to the Manor House from the dam’s side, then to the Jonkershuis and eventually to the Cathedral. All three buildings have burned to the ground,” Blaauwklippen management said in a statement.https://t.co/i1042656p8

— Heritage SA (@HeritageAssocSA) April 7, 2024

The City of Cape Town said disaster management had prepared for storm winds and heavy rains due to an expected intense low-pressure weather system this weekend, adding that the Western Cape can expect strong winds and torrential downpours from Saturday evening through to Tuesday.

Anton Bredell, Western Cape Minister for Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning added that the Disaster Management Centre noted that the heavy rains from Sunday will increase the potential risks of flooding and damage to infrastructure when exposed to more heavy rains and strong winds on Monday.

Stay safe out there, folks.

[sources:news24&dailymaverick&capetownetc&iol]