The damages caused by the high tides in George Photo Twitter/@george_mun
South Africa – On Saturday, coastal communities along the Western Cape and Eastern Cape shores faced a daunting encounter with a powerful natural event. The surging high tides, fraught with peril, surged through the region, resulting in the tragic loss of a 93-year-old lady in Wilderness. Furthermore, this relentless force inflicted substantial damage upon several properties.
The South African Weather Service has issued a warning to residents of coastal towns in the provinces of KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape, and Eastern Cape. They are urged to exercise vigilance as stormy weather conditions, coupled with a spring tide, have created these deadly high tides.
According to Craig Lambinon, the spokesperson for the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI), the peak of the spring tide was on Friday. Spring tides are a regular phenomenon, taking place during both New Moon and Full Moon phases each month. However, on rare occasions, such as Blue Moons occurring approximately once every three months, there can be three instances of spring tides within a single month. These tidal patterns exert their influence on coastlines across the globe, causing variations in the levels of high and low tides. The combination of spring tides and adverse weather conditions led to the perfect deadly storm that we are seeing.
“[Due to these conditions] we saw waves penetrating structures or buildings that are close to the shoreline, car parks and roadways as well. Disaster services and municipalities around the coast are busy with assessing the damage and mop up operations have begun. It has also affected the NSR ourselves with some of our rescue stations being compromised because they are on the shoreline.”
The damages caused by the high tides in George Photo Twitter/@george_mun
The damages caused by the high tides in George Photo Twitter/@george_mun
The damages caused by the high tides in George Photo Twitter/@george_mun
The damages caused by the high tides in George Photo Twitter/@george_mun
The damages caused by the high tides in George Photo Twitter/@george_mun
The damages caused by the high tides in George Photo Twitter/@george_mun
The mop up operations taking place in George Photo Twitter/@george_mun
The mop up operations taking place in George Photo Twitter/@george_mun
KZN – Marina Beach: Freak waves also hitting the KwaZulu-Natal shoreline pic.twitter.com/WPPxoJnfGA
— TrafficSA (@TrafficSA) September 17, 2023
Massive springtide hits the Western Cape Province of South Africa. See images of Harold’s Bay, Gordon’s Bay (Bikini Beach), Blouberg (snow), Gordons Bay harbour.
Please take care. Stay safe. pic.twitter.com/WNuHAaEHXs
— Gordons Bay ⚓️ Gordonsbaai Holiday Homes (@GordonsBay_WP) September 16, 2023
Safety tips for coastal residents and visitors
Some beaches in the Western Cape have been closed following the high tides. The NSR have advised against going to the beaches for the time being until weather conditions improve. As much as people may want to witness the spectacle, Lambinon urged citizens to not put themselves in danger.
“Stay clear of those areas at this time. There are still very high tides. There are two high tides each day [at different times depending where you are on the coastline] that will again see the possibility of these storm surges. We would appeal to the public to be cautious, don’t get too close to the danger and rather watch you rather watch from a safe distance and from a height.”
While Lambinon suggests that the most severe weather conditions might have abated, he cautions that weather patterns can swiftly and unpredictably change. Consequently, it is strongly recommended that individuals remain vigilant by routinely monitoring weather reports before making any significant decisions. The NSR continues to be fully operational and vigilant, as Lambinon anticipates the spring tide to last until Tuesday or Wednesday. During this period, the NSR urges the public to exercise caution and avoid venturing near potentially hazardous areas.
