KZN prepares for heavy rains from tropical storm Irina

KwaZulu-Natal has set up structures to deal with severe weather conditions expected to hit the northern parts of the province on Saturday afternoon, premier Zweli Mkhize said.

"Members of [the] Cabinet have set up a joint operations centre with the disaster management teams, police, the South African National Defence Force, emergency medical rescue services, fire brigades and hospitals," Mkhize said.

He said service organisations, religious groups and charity organisations were also on standby.

"Mayors and municipal managers from Umkhanyakude, Zululand, uThungulu, Ilembe, eThekwini, uMgungundlovu and Mzinyathi have been told to brace themselves for impact and spill over effects of the storm."

"It is better to be over prepared than be caught unprepared," he said.

The South African Weather Services warned on Friday that tropical storm Irina would dump an "extreme" amount of rain on the region over the weekend.

"Areas around Kosi Bay, St Lucia, and Richard's Bay can expect up to 400 millimetres of rain over this period," spokeswoman Hannelee Doubell said.

The amount of rain expected was of an "extreme nature" last experienced when tropical cyclone Domoina hit KwaZulu-Natal in 1984.

"Domoina brought between 400 and 600 millimetres of rain over a period of two to three days," Doubell said.

She said the system should show signs of weakening by Tuesday.

Co-operative governance MEC Nomsa Dube urged residents to remain calm, indoors and to avoid crossing rivers and streams.