WEATHER WATCH: Joburg underwater after flooding and thunderstorms

Johannesburg residents woke up to thunderstorms, flooding and road closures on Thursday. It’s a well-known fact: Gauteng’s weather is unpredictable.

It changes in the blink of an eye and wreaks havoc before dissipating just as quickly, leaving us with flooded homes and gardens, traffic delays and closed-off streets.

We’ve compiled safety tips below, a list of the affected regions and roads (including accidents); as well as photos and videos shared by netizens on social media.

Johannesburg weather

WATCH: Floods in Johannesburg

Road closures and accidents

Motorists are advised to drive with caution or avoid these areas if they can. We’ll update this section as more road closures are reported.

• A fatal crash was reported on the N1 southbound in Buccleuch.

• Motorists reported long delays on Allandale due to heavy rainfall in the region. The region between Kynoch and Mastiff road in Midrand was flooded.

• Flooding on Klipspruit Valley Road in Orlando West, next to the Maponya Dealership. Flooding was also reported on Moroka Nancefield Road and Mncube Drrive in Dube.

Weather update

The South African Weather Service on Wednesday warned of “a cut-off low developing to the far west of the country and is expected to make landfall in the west”.

This will cause widespread showers and thundershowers “across most parts of South Africa on Saturday and Sunday”, the weather service said.

How to stay safe on the roads

If you do find yourself on a flooded road, Arrive Alive says it is important to “keep calm and think swiftly”. Do not attempt to drive over a flooded road or bridge.

Turn back and try a higher route and don’t stay in the flooded area.

If your vehicle is surrounded by water, get out and seek higher ground instead. Lastly, if you are stranded in a building, don’t leave it to enter the floodwater. Instead, raise alarm and wait for rescuers.

Increase the three-second rule to five or six seconds in order to maintain a safe distance between you and the vehicle ahead of you.

If the roads are wet, slow down and take your foot off the accelerator to reduce the speed gradually. Never use the brakes suddenly as it could cause the car to skid.

Be safe out there, follow these safety tips from Arrive Alive: