Western Cape to be declared a disaster zone?

Authorities in the Western Cape have called on the National Disaster Management Centre to declare the province a disaster zone to help them deal with the fallout of a crippling drought and wildfires.

They say 100 000 acres of rural land [collectively almost the size of the Caribbean island of Barbados, according to World Land Trust] have been devastated.

Read: Cape Town dam levels slide, triggering early drought warning

The declaration will enable the province to better focus its relief efforts and move funds between programmes if necessary, Anton Bredell, the provincial minister for environmental affairs, said in a statement on Tuesday.

Kynsna, a tourism hub on the south coast, has been particularly hard hit by the drought, with the dam that serves as its main source of water only 15% full.

“Without augmentation from rain or alternative sources, the town is now faced with a 10-day water buffer, down from 13 days a week ago,” Bredell said.

A plan is being formulated to draw additional water from springs, refurbish seven boreholes, and tap another 10 located on private land to augment the supply, he added.

Read:
City of Cape Town’s desalination plant is six years away
South Africa gets its first climate index to track weather risks
Cape Town not immune to LA type fire disaster
Court ruling clears the way for private firefighting services
Berg winds in SA: The winter weather pattern that increases wildfire risks

The fires have depleted the province’s R17 million ($1 million) firefighting budget, with about 500 personnel and several aircraft deployed to contain them.

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