A shack fire has broken out in Imizamo Yethu in Hout Bay on Monday with four fire engines among the first responders at the scene, the City of Cape Town's fire services spokesperson Theo Layne said.

"There are numerous structures that are burning," said Layne.

The call for help came in shortly after noon and four water tankers were also sent to assist.

He said the teams there had already asked for backup, but more details were not immediately available to the media as firefighters and emergency services personnel set to work.

Last year, thousands of Imizamo Yethu residents had to be offered emergency shelter after a blaze that devastated many of the homes built on a slope in Hout Bay.

Cape Town is currently in the grip of a rainy cold front, with more than 4 000 homes affected by flooding in informal settlements around the city.

This is a developing story.

Source: News24