Joburg emergency services on high alert amid wet weather

The South African Weather Service has issued a warning for the possibility of severe thunderstorms in Gauteng on Tuesday.
The South African Weather Service has issued a warning for the possibility of severe thunderstorms in Gauteng on Tuesday.
Image: 123RF/Surut Wattanamaetee

Johannesburg's emergency management services (EMS) are on high alert amid the wet weather conditions in Gauteng.

“It's raining in most parts of Johannesburg. Most roads are wet and slippery, motorists are urged to maintain a safe following distance and try to avoid crossing areas which might be flooded. We urge residents in low-lying areas not to cross streams and also monitor young children to stay away from streams,” said Johannesburg EMS spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi.

Mulaudzi said the city's emergency services would remain on high alert so it could respond to any emergencies.

The South African Weather Service warned of the possibility of severe thunderstorms in Gauteng on Tuesday.

The weather outlook indicates showers and thundershowers over the central and eastern parts of the country, but widespread over the south-eastern parts while temperatures are expected to drop over most parts of the country.

It issued orange level 5 and yellow level 2 alerts for severe thunderstorms over the central parts of the country.

“Orange level 5 warning: severe thunderstorms producing strong damaging winds, large amounts of small hail and heavy downpours which may lead to flooding and damage of settlements and infrastructure are expected in places over eastern parts of the Free State, south-eastern parts of North West, South-eastern Mpumalanga and the western parts of KwaZulu-Natal.”

“Yellow level 2 warning: severe thunderstorms producing strong damaging winds, large amounts of small hail and heavy downpours which may lead to localised flooding and damage to settlements' infrastructure are expected in places over eastern and Central parts of both the Free State and North West, southern Mpumalanga, southern-western parts of Limpopo and KwaZulu-Natal provinces,” said the weather service.

For Wednesday, isolated to scattered showers and thundershowers are expected over the eastern parts of the country while isolated showers and thundershowers can be expected over the central parts of Mpumalanga, western and central parts of KwaZulu-Natal as well as along the Eastern Cape coast between East London and Port Edward for Thursday.

TimesLIVE


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