Cape Town - South Africans have been urged to take caution as severe weather left a trail of destruction this week.
In Gauteng, the City of Tshwane Disaster Management Centre has been activated to coordinate rescue, evacuation, transportation, accommodation and relief efforts. According to residents, all low level areas out of Centurion are flooded.
The South African Weather Service (Saws) has also issued a warning of severe thunderstorms in the Eastern Cape.
Saws said residents can expect disruptions to municipal and other services.
“The heavy downpours are expected to result in localised flooding of susceptible roads, low-lying areas and bridges and cause major traffic disruptions and incidents.
The weather office has also predicted lightning in the Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North West and Free State provinces.
Earlier this week, the weather service advised that the country was in no immediate danger from tropical cyclone Batsirai currently affecting the southern Indian Ocean.
“Intense tropical cyclone Batsirai is expected to continue on a south-westwards track towards central Madagascar, where it will make landfall tomorrow (5 February) possibly at Intense Tropical Cyclone intensity. Ahead of landfall, inhabitants of Madagascar should start to experience the first signs of the approaching cyclone, with increased wave heights (8m, even reaching 15m) from today,” said Saws in a statement.
“There is also a very high likelihood of storm surge along the coastline as a result of this cyclone. Once overland, Batsirai is expected to rapidly decrease in intensity, however, significant impacts are still expected over the central and south-eastern parts of Madagascar. Strong and damaging winds as well as torrential rainfall is expected,” it said.
IOL