LOOK: Heavy rains and thunderstorms wreak havoc in KZN

Published Dec 30, 2022

Share

Durban - Clean-up operations are under way in parts of KwaZulu-Natal hit by torrential downpours, hail and gusty winds.

uMngeni Local Municipality mayor Chris Pappas said some areas experienced more than 120mm of rainfall on Thursday.

He said funding would be redirected to assist with stormwater drainage and road damage.

"Resources will be allocated towards mop-up and clean-up operations. I will write to the Provincial Treasury, Provincial Department for Local Government and the District Municipality to request financial assistance to respond to infrastructure damage," he said.

Pappas has called on councillors to submit a report of the damage in their areas.

Clean-up operations are under way in parts of KwaZulu-Natal hit by torrential downpours, hail and gusty winds. Picture: Cllr Chris Pappas

Clean-up operations are under way in parts of KwaZulu-Natal hit by torrential downpours, hail and gusty winds. Picture: Cllr Chris Pappas

"We will also assess risk areas and weaknesses to identify and set in place interventions for future storms," Pappas added.

The SA Weather Service issued a Yellow Level 4 warning of widespread showers and thunderstorms over the interior of the province.

MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Sihle Zikalala announced that disaster management teams were on standby in the event of emergencies.

— Your Weather🌩️by AfriWX (@afriwx) December 29, 2022

A look at weather alerts for the rest of SA:

  • A Yellow level 2 warning for severe thunderstorms leading to localised flooding of susceptible roads, low-lying areas and bridges and well as minor vehicle accidents over the eastern parts of the NW Province, northern and eastern parts of the Free State, Gauteng and the interior of Mpumalanga.
  • A Yellow level 2 warning for wind leading to difficulty in navigation at sea along the coast between Dassen Island and Hermanus.
  • Extremely high fire danger over the interior of Namakwa in the Northern Cape, and the Cape Metropole Districts, including Matzikama Municipality, in the Western Cape.
  • A heat wave, with persistently high temperatures, for the Nama Khoi, Kamiesberg Municipalities over the Northern Cape and Matzikama Municipality over the Western Cape until Sunday.

IOL