Cape clinics on high alert

CAPE TOWN – Clinics in Cape Town have been placed on high alert following heavy floods this week, Independent Online reported yesterday.

The city’s disaster management spokesperson, Charlotte Powell, said officials were trying to prevent an outbreak of waterborne diseases by draining stagnating water.The disaster relief team was doing ongoing water checks at more than 60 informal settlements, especially where there was a high risk of stagnant water building up.’The longer the water is stagnant, the greater the risk of contamination,’ said Ivan Bromfield, executive director of city health.’About 63 informal settlements have been affected,’ Powell said.’About 20 000 people are being given shelter and hot meals by relief agencies.’The SA Weather Service Cape Town said on Monday that the weather office at Cape Town International Airport had recorded the second-highest rainfall for a 24-hour period in July since recording started in 1957.The station recorded 55.2mm for the 24 hours from 8am on Sunday to 08:00 on Monday. – Nampa-Sapa