Severe thunderstorms, flooding warning issued for Tuesday

Severe thunderstorms are expected on Tuesday across a number of provinces in the country, with the South African Weather Service (SAWS) warning of heavy rain, localised flooding, hail and strong winds.

Gauteng, the eastern part of the North West province, the eastern Free State, western Mpumalanga, south-western Limpopo and KwaZulu-Natal are expected to bear the brunt of the thunderstorms.

The SAWS also cautioned that the thunderstorms could bring with them the possibility of localised flooding in low-lying areas and the risk of damage to cars on the roads, as well as critical infrastructure.

This could cause damage to both informal and formal settlements and houses, and business structures.

Home insurers all saw an increase in claims for damage caused by the storms over the northern parts of the country at the end of October, and warned that homeowners must take precautions now that the summer storm season had arrived.

Insurer Dialdirect has offered these tips to stay safe in adverse weather conditions:

• Check structures around your house for weak spots, clear debris from gutters, fasten items that could become deadly projectiles and cut away dead trees and branches.
• Heavy rains are often associated with lightning. Install surge protection plugs and/or unplug appliances before the storm arrives.
• If you are in an area prone to heavy hail, make sure that the structures around your home can handle the extra weight and that you are equipped to clear any build-up of hail. Reinforce structures where necessary.

READ MORE: Storm season is here: surge in insurance claims after weekend rains

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.