Heavy rains, flooding expected in many parts of the country

26 December 2023 - 10:49
By Sakhiseni Nxumalo
The South African Weather Service has issued a warning regarding disruptive rainfall that may cause localised flooding, affecting numerous regions of the country on Tuesday. File photo.
Image: Alaister Russell/The Sunday Times The South African Weather Service has issued a warning regarding disruptive rainfall that may cause localised flooding, affecting numerous regions of the country on Tuesday. File photo.

The South African Weather Service (Saws) has issued a warning for disruptive rainfall that may cause localised flooding in several regions of the country on Tuesday. 

On Monday night Saws issued a yellow level 2 warning, cautioning that the disruptive rain might cause localised flooding in susceptible settlements, roads, low-lying areas and bridges.

“Severe thunderstorms with strong damaging winds and heavy downpours — potentially leading to local damage and flooding of roads, settlements (both formal and informal), low-lying areas, and bridges — are expected in the extreme northeastern parts of the Northern Cape, and in some areas across the western parts of both the North West and Free State,” it said.

Thunderstorms are also expected in KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, the Eastern Cape, Gauteng, Limpopo and other parts of the North West and Free State.

A level 3 warning for damaging winds that could disrupt beachfront activities and cause navigation difficulties at sea is expected between Lambert's Bay and Cape Agulhas.

In KZN, six people have lost their lives and approximately 10 are reported missing following recent floods that caused extensive damage in Ladysmith. The province's co-operative governance and traditional affairs department said the search for the missing people resumed on Tuesday morning.

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