South African firefighters contained a wildfire along Cape Town’s Table Mountain on Monday more than 24 hours after it began, damaging historical sites and forcing people to evacuate their homes and schools to close. Winds of up to 45 kilometres per hour put water-bombing helicopters out of action and more than 250 firefighters were tackling fast-spreading flare-ups from the ground only. Flames are seen close to the city fanned by strong winds after a bushfire broke out on the slopes of Table Mountain in Cape Town, South Africa, April 19, 2021. REUTERS/Mike Hutchings Officials believe the blaze may have been started deliberately and a suspect was detained on Sunday evening. They also said it was one of the most damaging cultural heritage fires ever. "With regards to the damage...
Read MoreTag: Table Mountain
With borders closed, South Africa pins hopes on cash-strapped local tourists
Lisa Krohn’s Ashanti Lodge in Cape Town - normally abuzz with backpackers from around the world - today sits largely empty, a sign of how the pandemic has crushed South Africa’s tourist industry. “This place is like a morgue,” she said, contemplating the Victorian-era building’s deserted foyer. Following a five-month lockdown, South Africa is easing domestic travel restrictions, allowing hotels to reopen. With international borders still closed, the government is pinning its hopes on domestic tourism, echoing a strategy being tried from Vietnam to New Zealand with mixed results. A shopkeeper awaits visitors at the Table Mountain cableway station, during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Cape Town, South Africa, , August 22, 2020. REUTERS/Mike Hutchings South Afric...
Read More
You must be logged in to post a comment.