The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has issued flood warnings in multiple provinces as heavy rains continue to wreak havoc in parts of the country since last week. In one incident on Monday, guests and staff at the Centurion Lake Hotel had to be evacuated as the reception area became flooded.
Also on Monday, the body of a Hartbeespoort man was recovered after his car was swept away by flash floods.
On Tuesday, heavy flooding was again forecast, with the SAWS issuing as many as 36 separate warnings on its website.
SAWS forecaster William Msimanga told News24 that heavy rains will lead to localised flooding in most parts of Gauteng, Mpumalanga and Limpopo during the course of Tuesday.
Severe thunderstorms
“We are expecting an 80% chance of widespread showers in those areas. Other than that, we are expecting severe thunderstorms on Tuesday afternoon in the western parts of the North West and the Free State, as well as heavy rainfall in the northern parts of KwaZulu-Natal.
⚠️ ALERT: Reports of WIDESPREAD FLOODING in CENTURION | 📸Supplied pic.twitter.com/R2PAqq240j
— Gauteng Weather (@tWeatherSA) December 9, 2019
“The situation in Gauteng, Mpumalanga and Limpopo remains unchanged from conditions experienced on Monday,” Msimanga said.
“We do, however, expect conditions to go back to normal during the course of Wednesday.”
By Thursday, the skies should begin clearing up, Msimanga said.
On Tuesday, eNCA reported that Tshwane emergency services officials had been rescuing residents from flooded homes and cars in Centurion. Hundreds of homes have reportedly been destroyed in Mamelodi.
Please take note ⚠️heavy rain and flooding⚠️ will continue tonight in Gauteng, eastern North West and north-eastern Free State as well as Mpumalanga and western Limpopo. The heavy rainfall warning will continue in these areas below tomorrow (Tuesday). https://t.co/V5Ii7rQlbZ
— SA Weather Service (@SAWeatherServic) December 9, 2019
The flooding has been blamed for the return of regular load shedding, adding to South Africans’ woes.
Speaking to Fin24 on Monday evening, Eskom spokesperson Dikatso Mothae said flooding was a major factor in the sudden shift to Stage 6 power cuts.
There have been heavy rains in large parts of South Africa, including flash floods in Centurion and Mamelodi that resulted in evacuations. There have also been floods in Bronkhorstspruit, Gauteng; various parts of the Free State; and North West.
Centurion is flooding. #centurionfloods pic.twitter.com/4tYfNMDfLB
— Chief Erican (@EricanSA) December 9, 2019
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Source: News24
