Gauteng and other parts of the country will yet again experience heavy thunderstorms this weekend‚ according to the South African Weather Service.
“This weekend‚ Gauteng will be partly cloudy and warm with minimum temperatures of 14 degrees to a maximum of 26 degrees in the afternoons‚” said the weather service’s Dransey Dulo.
He added that there is a 30 to 60% of thunderstorms‚ which are likely to start mid-afternoon and continue into the evening.
Severe thunderstorms are forecast for Mpumalanga‚ KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape.
Earlier this week‚ Gauteng Premier David Makhura said he intends to declare some parts of the province disaster areas as a result of the scale of damage and casualties from the flash floods.
Six people have lost their lives and a three-year-old girl from Alexandra is still missing after severe flooding the previous week.
The Gauteng government has urged residents — especially those living in low-lying areas — to be more cautious this weekend‚ given the expected rainfall.
What to do in a flash flood
Here are several survival tips on what to do if you are driving or walking and get caught in a flash flood. The most important advice is never to try to walk or drive through flooded roads or over low-water crossings.
These survival tips are courtesy of the San Antonio Fire Department in the US:
• If your vehicle is suddenly caught in rising water‚ leave it immediately and seek higher ground.
• If your car is swept into the water and submerged‚ DON’T PANIC! Stay calm and wait for the vehicle to fill with water. Once the vehicle is full‚ the doors will be able to open. Hold your breath and swim to the surface.
• If you are swept into fast-moving floodwater‚ point your feet downstream.
• Always go over obstacles‚ never try to go under.
• If you are stranded on something above the floodwater‚ such as a tree or building‚ stay put and wait to be rescue. Do not enter the floodwater.
• When help arrives‚ stay calm and follow the directions of the rescue team.
• If you are in a low-lying area during a flood‚ get to higher ground quickly. Avoid ditches and gullies that can channel swift water.
• Do not attempt to cross flooded roads or streams on foot or in a vehicle. The water may be flowing more rapidly than it appears‚ and it can take as little as 16cm of water to knock an adult off their feet.
• Be especially cautious at night when it is harder to see flood dangers.
• Never allow children to play near ditches and storm drains.
Weekend rain‚ thundershowers predicted for Gauteng‚ Mpumalanga‚ KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape
Gauteng and other parts of the country will yet again experience heavy thunderstorms this weekend‚ according to the South African Weather Service.
“This weekend‚ Gauteng will be partly cloudy and warm with minimum temperatures of 14 degrees to a maximum of 26 degrees in the afternoons‚” said the weather service’s Dransey Dulo.
He added that there is a 30 to 60% of thunderstorms‚ which are likely to start mid-afternoon and continue into the evening.
Severe thunderstorms are forecast for Mpumalanga‚ KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape.
Earlier this week‚ Gauteng Premier David Makhura said he intends to declare some parts of the province disaster areas as a result of the scale of damage and casualties from the flash floods.
Six people have lost their lives and a three-year-old girl from Alexandra is still missing after severe flooding the previous week.
The Gauteng government has urged residents — especially those living in low-lying areas — to be more cautious this weekend‚ given the expected rainfall.
What to do in a flash flood
Here are several survival tips on what to do if you are driving or walking and get caught in a flash flood. The most important advice is never to try to walk or drive through flooded roads or over low-water crossings.
These survival tips are courtesy of the San Antonio Fire Department in the US:
• If your vehicle is suddenly caught in rising water‚ leave it immediately and seek higher ground.
• If your car is swept into the water and submerged‚ DON’T PANIC! Stay calm and wait for the vehicle to fill with water. Once the vehicle is full‚ the doors will be able to open. Hold your breath and swim to the surface.
• If you are swept into fast-moving floodwater‚ point your feet downstream.
• Always go over obstacles‚ never try to go under.
• If you are stranded on something above the floodwater‚ such as a tree or building‚ stay put and wait to be rescue. Do not enter the floodwater.
• When help arrives‚ stay calm and follow the directions of the rescue team.
• If you are in a low-lying area during a flood‚ get to higher ground quickly. Avoid ditches and gullies that can channel swift water.
• Do not attempt to cross flooded roads or streams on foot or in a vehicle. The water may be flowing more rapidly than it appears‚ and it can take as little as 16cm of water to knock an adult off their feet.
• Be especially cautious at night when it is harder to see flood dangers.
• Never allow children to play near ditches and storm drains.
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