The Weather Hooligan, Juandre Vorster's popular Facebook channel, made similar predictions.
“There is a severe storm system building here out at sea,” Vorster said, pointing to a colourful mass on his laptop screen.
“It’s massive, man. So you girls and boys out there in Durban and Pietermaritzburg, and particularly you okes in Richards Bay, prepare yourselves. In my opinion, this thing is going to hit at about 8pm (on Sunday) and it will go on til about midnight. It’s going to be rough.”
Weather Hooligan followers also posted images of the damage caused by the tornado that ripped through Witbank at about 1pm on Sunday, along with warnings to people to stay out of the area.
“Keep a battery-powered radio and flashlight handy, avoid driving on flooded roads and bridges, and staying informed through reliable weather forecasts and warnings,” was the advice given by Thwala.
Speaking about the anticipated floods, Thwala advised people in particularly wet areas to move to higher ground in the case of rising levels. He warned also that bridges and roads in low-lying areas were particularly vulnerable to flooding, and travellers should stay away from them.
Thwala said people should continuously monitor the SA Weather Service for updates and warnings and try to keep off the roads in vulnerable areas.
TimesLIVE
Level 5 weather warnings for Gauteng, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and KZN
Inclement weather and flooding forecast for large parts of the country this week
Image: THE WEATHER HOOLIGAN: FACEBOOK
Orange level five weather warnings have been issued for Gauteng, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal, with heavy downpours expected from Sunday into the week.
In Welkom trees were uprooted and roofs ripped off by a funnel of wind described as similar to a tornado. By late Sunday afternoon the damage had yet to be quantified as emergency groups posted photos and information on community groups and on Facebook.
Several homes and businesses were damaged. It also caused damage to the local fire station and affected communications.
SA Weather Service forecaster Samkelisiwe Thwala on Sunday warned of heavy, disruptive rains across the central and eastern regions of the country until at least Wednesday.
The Weather Hooligan, Juandre Vorster's popular Facebook channel, made similar predictions.
“There is a severe storm system building here out at sea,” Vorster said, pointing to a colourful mass on his laptop screen.
“It’s massive, man. So you girls and boys out there in Durban and Pietermaritzburg, and particularly you okes in Richards Bay, prepare yourselves. In my opinion, this thing is going to hit at about 8pm (on Sunday) and it will go on til about midnight. It’s going to be rough.”
Weather Hooligan followers also posted images of the damage caused by the tornado that ripped through Witbank at about 1pm on Sunday, along with warnings to people to stay out of the area.
“Keep a battery-powered radio and flashlight handy, avoid driving on flooded roads and bridges, and staying informed through reliable weather forecasts and warnings,” was the advice given by Thwala.
Speaking about the anticipated floods, Thwala advised people in particularly wet areas to move to higher ground in the case of rising levels. He warned also that bridges and roads in low-lying areas were particularly vulnerable to flooding, and travellers should stay away from them.
Thwala said people should continuously monitor the SA Weather Service for updates and warnings and try to keep off the roads in vulnerable areas.
TimesLIVE
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