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epa01080803 South African big wave surfer Andy Marr surfs a wave at an offshore reef known as Dungeons off Cape Town, South Africa 30 July 2007. Severe weather hitting the Cape over the past week has caused widespread flooding affecting more than 25 000 people due to heavy rains, gale force winds and stormy seas. Surfers however take advantage of the conditions to ride some of the huge swells generated by the big storms. These waves are too big to paddle into so the surfers use personal water craft (PWC) to tow them into the fast moving swells. The surfers ride custom made surfboards that are heavier than normal and are fitted with footstraps to help control the board at high speeds. EPA/NIC BOTHMA