KZN residents urged to remain on high alert amid level 5 rain warning

KZN

Durban — Disaster management teams in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) have urged residents to remain on high alert as strong rain and possible flooding are expected to continue until Tuesday.

The South African Weather Services (SAWS) issued an Orange Level 5 warning for intensified rain and thundershowers to start the week, and this comes after more than 11 people lost their lives due to the inclement weather in and around th eThekwini Municipality, The Citizen reported.

Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) MEC in KZN Thulasizwe Buthelezi said communities living in low-lying areas and near riverbanks in the affected areas should immediately seek shelter on higher ground.

“We are deeply concerned about the potential impact of these severe thunderstorms and the associated flooding. The province has already experienced tragic losses of life due to recent inclement weather conditions,” Buthelezi said.

According to the Road Traffic Management Corporation, motorists are urged to remain cautious while driving in severe weather conditions and to take all necessary precautions to avoid crashes.

RTMC spokesperson Simon Zwane said emergency services were warned about the weather conditions and told to stay vigilant.

“The Road Traffic Management Corporation urges motorists who will be travelling to KZN to check the weather forecast before embarking on their journeys and to avoid travelling at night where possible,” he said.

According to IOL, disruptive rain this past weekend led to damage to property and infrastructure in the province, leaving many more people homeless.  Parts of the province came to a complete standstill as rain meant business and roads were not in operation.

The South African Weather Services (SAWS) swiftly changed their level 2 warning to a level 5 on Sunday as heavy rains poured over many parts of KZN.

“Areas over the southeastern parts of KZN have received quite significant amounts of rain, and more rain is still expected, which will result in flooding. Significant impacts are possible as these areas are vulnerable from previous rains,” read the warning.

The eThekwini Disaster Management and Emergency Services remain on high alert as Government departments and other private organisations team up to assist the flood victims.

“The aid comes after the recent heavy rains that occurred, which severely affected Lamontville and other areas in the South of Durban and claimed the lives of seven people while some sustained injuries after their structures were destroyed,” the eThekwini municipality said.

According to the latest statistics from the municipality’s human settlements department, last week’s floods resulted in 3676 families being relocated, and 2224 housing units were demolished. Another 7916 families from 42 transit camps still awaited relocation to temporary shelters.

The city said it was currently in the process of reprioritising all the affected small transit camps for its planned housing programmes.

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Compiled by Matthew Petersen

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