Limpopo remains on high alert amid heavy rain, flood warnings

Limpopo is not out of the woods yet as the South African Weather Service (SAWS) continues to issue warnings for heavy rain and flooding in the province.

The weather service issued a yellow level 2 warning for disruptive rain over the extreme north-eastern parts of Limpopo on Wednesday.

Limpopo Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs MEC Basikopo Makamu on Tuesday said while no fatalities had been reported, the province remained on high alert as more heavy rain is expected.

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“We are happy up to so far that Tropical Cyclone Freddy did not arrive in Limpopo in a very strong way. We have been receiving rains, but at least our people are still safe. We are not out of the possible arrival of very heavy rains. We are on alert level 2, so we should continue to tell our people to remain alert,” said Makamu.

“We should not cross overflowing rivers or low-lying areas. As a province we remain alert, we have not disembarked all our teams on the ground, they remain waiting for any eventuality that may come.”

Extremely high fire danger conditions are expected over the northern and in places over the eastern parts of the Northern Cape.

Heatwave conditions, persistently high temperatures exceeding average maximum, are also expected over the Dawid Kruiper and Kai !Garib local municipalities of Northern Cape until Wednesday.

“Under these conditions, a prolonged exposure to the sun poses health risks, hence it is advisable to seek shade and keep hydrated,” warned the weather service.

Wednesday’s weather forecast

Gauteng: Hot weather in the north, otherwise partly cloudy and warm with isolated showers and thundershowers. The expected UVB sunburn index: Extreme.

Mpumalanga: Partly cloudy and warm weather with isolated showers and rain, but scattered in the Lowveld.

Limpopo: Partly cloudy and warm to hot weather, but cloudy in the east with isolated to scattered showers and rain.

North West: Partly cloudy and warm weather with isolated showers and thundershowers.

Free State: Morning fog patches in the east, partly cloudy and warm with isolated showers and thundershowers, except over the central and the south-western parts.

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Northern Cape: Cloudy with fog along the coast in the morning where it will be cool, otherwise fine and warm to hot but very hot in the east. It will become partly cloudy in the east with isolated showers and thundershowers over the north-eastern parts. The wind along the coast will be light to moderate southerly.

Western Cape: Fine in the south-west, with morning fog in places along the coast, otherwise fine and warm to hot but cool along the coast but partly cloudy over the south coast towards the evening.

The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh easterly to south-easterly but light to moderate north-easterly east of Mossel Bay, moderate towards the evening. The expected UVB sunburn index: Extreme.

Western half of the Eastern Cape: Cloudy becoming partly cloudy and warm. Light rain is expected along the coast before sunrise. The wind along the coast will be moderate south-westerly.

Eastern half of the Eastern Cape: Cloudy and cool to warm with a chance light rain over areas south of the escarpment. The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh south-westerly.

KwaZulu-Natal: Morning fog patches, otherwise partly cloudy and warm with isolated showers and thundershowers. The wind along the coast will be moderate to fresh southerly to south-westerly. The expected UVB sunburn index: Moderate.