Container handling operations at the Port of Cape Town have come to a grinding halt as strong winds hammer the city once again and are expected to continue until at least Friday.
City of Cape Town Disaster Risk Management spokesperson Sonica Lategan said in a statement late on Tuesday that a weather warning regarding high wind speeds had been issued for the week.
“The South African Weather Service has issued a Yellow Level 4 warning for damaging winds over much of the Western Cape from Wednesday evening until Friday,” Lategan said.
“Strong south-easterly winds (50-70kph gusting up to 90kph) are expected between Saldanha and Plettenberg Bay. Potential impacts could include uprooted trees, damage to roofs and an increased risk of runaway fires, amongst others.
“The conditions can also lead to difficulty in navigation at sea for smaller vessels, and owners of such vessels are advised to seek shelter and stay away from the open sea.”
A source at the Port of Cape Town said the wind was already gusting at high speeds on Tuesday which had led to the stoppage of container movements on the landside of the port by Wednesday morning.
The source added that there were three vessels currently being serviced in the port and a further three vessels waiting at anchorage outside.
The port sent a message to transporters requesting them to remove their vehicles from the port as it was already “officially wind bound” with wind speeds reaching almost 90kph, making it impossible to work.
However, a source in the transport industry said on Wednesday that transporters were hoping that the port might reopen to transporters this afternoon should wind speeds slow down to workable levels.
Lategan urged the public to secure objects on their properties that could be carried by the wind, like outside furniture, and to be mindful of potential damage to garage doors, sliding doors and windows.
