Writer, journalist, producer and musician CHRIS DU PLESSIS lost his home and everything in it during the recent fires that raged through Knysna. Here he attempts to dissect the schizoid frenzy that comes with the experience. It’s a damn good question actually. What DO you pack if your house is about to burn down? I found myself living the cliché on Wednesday, 6 June 2017, as … [Read more...]
China landslide: desperate search for survivors continues
Thousands of rescuers are searching through rubble to find 93 people missing after a landslide devastated their village in Sichuan province, southwestern China. Dozens of homes were buried when the landslide hit Xinmo village in Mao County, Aba Prefecture Saturday morning. According to the Mao County Government Press Office 10 bodies had been recovered since the beginning … [Read more...]
Experts warned about Garden Route fires
A group of scientists led by eminent NMMU botanist Professor Richard Cowling warned nearly a decade ago that the uncontrolled spread of alien vegetation posed a fire threat that could devastate the Garden Route. Contained in an article in the 2009 edition of the Veld & Flora magazine, which The Herald accessed yesterday after an alert from the Endangered Wildlife Trust … [Read more...]
Climate change evident in Cape storm and Knysna fires
The mother of all storms. The worst drought in a century. More intense fires than any in living memory. The hottest years on record. This is the new normal. South Africa’s climate is changing and with that comes extreme weather. Events such as crippling storms and droughts, which used to happen once a century, will happen every decade, or more frequently. We know this. There … [Read more...]
Heavy storm damages 135 schools across Western Cape
A massive weather system is pummelling SA, but bringing welcome rain to drought-stricken areas. Follow all the latest details here. The Western Cape Education Department on Friday said that 135 schools in the province had been damaged as a result of the massive storm which struck earlier in the week. Education MEC Debbie Schafer said in a statement that learners and … [Read more...]
DA’s Maimane to visit fire-ravaged Knysna
Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Mmusi Maimane will on Monday visit Knysna in the wake of the devastating fires which have claimed the lives of seven people, including children and left widespread damage across the region. Maimane will visit residents affected by the inferno and assess the damage caused. More than 12,000 people were evacuated from their homes due to the … [Read more...]
Western Cape officials brace for storm‚ prepare for ‘extraordinary circumstances’
The air force is on standby‚ schools are closed‚ swells of up to 12 metres are bearing down on the coast and people are being urged to stay indoors. What is expected to be the worst storm in living memory in the Western Cape when it makes landfall on Wednesday is not expected to break the worst drought in the province in more than a century‚ but on Tuesday disaster … [Read more...]
How hard is climate change affecting the world’s poorest nations?
When Nicholas Herold was hunting for data on how much climate change was affecting the world's poorest nations, he was surprised when he couldn't find answers in the published research. "Everyone's spoken for years about how poor countries are going to suffer more – or are suffering more – and I couldn't find one figure actually showing this," the research fellow at the … [Read more...]
Cape Town water crisis: desalination could see prices spike
If Capetonians don't cut water use even more, the next step to avert dry taps could be putting treated waste water back into the system and an expensive desalination plant, which would push water prices up by at least 50%, Mayor Patricia de Lille said on Tuesday. With the dams that feed the city at 33% capacity, De Lille plans to ask for Cape Town to be declared a disaster … [Read more...]
Haitians’ ire over carnival spending amid hurricane ruins
Starjuin Regent is still waiting for Haitian Government aid to help him rebuild his fishing business, which was destroyed last year by Hurricane Matthew. In the nearly five months since the massive category five storm hit, residents are still struggling to rebuild shattered homes and businesses. All the more reason then, for the ire of Regent and many others here over … [Read more...]
Tropical Storm Dineo to bring heavy rain, flooding to SA
Disaster management teams are at the ready as tropical Tropical storm Dineo prepares to make landfall on Friday. The low-pressure system was expected to bring heavy rain, flooding and possibly wind damage to the southern parts of Mozambique; parts of Limpopo and Mpumalanga; and the northern reaches of KwaZulu-Natal. Nasa reported the formation of the tropical cyclone on … [Read more...]
Drought adaptation DIY style: steps to save water
January was not for chickens in the Cape – extreme drought and fires saw the gardens shrivel up and die. So sad to witness and feel the distress all round. Once our veggie plants got stressed the diseases followed. Watching your water consumption with Stage 3 water restrictions and growing food without the farmer’s concessions calls for innovation. How to capture each … [Read more...]
Keeping cool during those hot and sweaty nights
One of the worst aspects of summer heat is when there is no respite during the night. This is also when high temperatures can become dangerous to the young and elderly - as they battle to sleep and then succumb to exhaustion. Here are some cool eco-friendly tips in a story by Julie Ellis: We all know sleeping in an air-conditioned home on a sweltering night can feel … [Read more...]
