Load-shedding meant alerts could not reach KZN people in danger of heavy rain and floods, say experts

Load-shedding contributed to the severity of the effects of the KwaZulu-Natal floods as warning alerts could not reach certain areas due to the network shutdown in April.

This was revealed at the University of Pretoria on Tuesday where an advisory panel of experts was established for the immediate adoption and implementation of existing early warning systems to reduce vulnerability and natural disaster risk.

Prof Sylvester Mpandeli, executive manager at the Water Research Commission, said the floods highlighted the country’s unpreparedness to respond to natural disasters.

“During the disaster, people were pointing fingers at each other and we have to answer why more than 450 lives were lost and property was damaged.

“It was found that among the causes of the severity was the fact that most areas couldn’t receive alerts from the weather services because of power outages,” Mpandeli said.

He emphasised that climate change should not be treated as a separate component, adding it needed to be integrated into the existing programmes.

Financial resources need to be channelled towards climate issues, and he suggested experts and researchers be used across the country to assist in developing strategies.

“The biggest issue we need to worry about is the intensity and the frequency.”

He said the biggest contributor was that government was reactive instead of proactive.

“The worst floods were in 1987. This is the second largest hit. Besides having a good policy, we need to change our mindset and attitude so we are able to have a strategy.

“Government does not have a sense of urgency. If the projections were taken seriously, we would have informed the right people, and cleared up our water system on time,” Mpandeli said.

David Mahlobo, deputy minister of water and sanitation, said SA is not spared from being a climate change hotspot and faces significant climate risks.

“Climate change is a reality with impacts felt across all economic sectors. There are huge impacts on lives and livelihoods. In most cases we have been caught unprepared with disastrous consequences as a result, and it is the government’s call for all stakeholders to do their part and contribute towards reducing risk and vulnerability.

“The recent floods in KwaZulu-Natal are a stark reminder of the reality of climate change and the vulnerability of our people to climate change. It also emphasises the urgency of the need to accelerate and increase investments in building climate change resilience and adaptation, especially at local levels where the impacts of these disasters are mostly felt,” said Mahlobo.

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