Cape Town’s drought makes international news on CNN and Facebook

If you live in Cape Town, chances are you forgot what rain actually is.

With the city still battling one of the worst droughts this generation has seen, Cape Town’s water reserves are now dangerously low. Just 11% of the water left in the city’s six largest dams are usable, while no rain is seemingly forecast for the rest of the week.

Someone who finds this all rather alarming (other than Cape Town’s other four-million residents) is meteorologist Derek Van Dam.

Previously of eNCA, Van Dam is now one of CNN’s meteorologists. With his heart clearly still in Cape Town, he took to the American news channel this weekend to outline just how dire the water crisis in the city is.

The video, republished on Facebook, has since accrued over 125 000 views and 4000 shares on the social network.

Van Dam’s video also makes use of Adam Spires’ footage, previously mentioned in a Memeburn article highlighting the Theewaterskloof Dam. Or, puddle, as it is now.

“This is not a short term phenomenon, it is a long term problem. Water conservation starts with you,” Van Dam writes on the post, urging citizens to take action.

The City of Cape Town has announced level four water restrictions from 1 June 2017, further restricting citizens’ use of water. Tariffs are also set to increase a month later.

Feature image: screengrab, Derek Van Dam/CNN via Facebook