Wet Christmas and widespread rain expected across SA

A wet Christmas, plus widespread rain, localised flooding and more are forecast for the next few days.

City of Tshwane Emergency Services Department acting spokesperson Lindsay Zwelithini Mnguni has called on communities to remain alert during the rains. Showers and thundershowers are expected.

Meanwhile, Mnguni shed some light on the search for the alleged suspect who went missing in the Hennops River in Centurion on Sunday morning.

Centurion search and rescue

The search for the suspect who went missing in the Hennops River in Centurion on Sunday morning resumed yesterday.

“However, due to the heavy rains that occurred overnight, the river continues to present unsafe working conditions to enter and do search and rescue,” he said.

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Mnguni said the city’s Emergency Communication Centre received a call to help rescue a person who was believed to have fled from the custody of security guards and got swept away by the strong current.

“Firefighters and police divers immediately began with search and rescue operations where they searched inside the river and on the riverbanks,” he said.

“The search was a very intricate and risky one due to the rising water levels and the strong currents, as there was rainfall upstream. After hours of intensive search operations, the search was suspended due to safety concerns for the personnel.”

Damaging winds and flash flooding

The South African Weather Service expects incidents of damaging winds and flash flooding across South Africa in the days ahead.

Forecaster Lehlohonolo Thobela said there were 80% chances of showers and thundershowers expected across western Limpopo and northern Gauteng, accompanied by disruptive rain and localised flooding, tonight.

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“However, the southwestern interior will remain clear of precipitation with partly cloudy and warm conditions, but hot in places in the northern parts of the Northern Cape,” he said.

Thobela said on Christmas Day they expect drizzle along the Limpopo and Mpumalanga escarpment regions.

“A notably reduced distribution of showers and thundershowers is anticipated in the afternoon,” he said.

Christmas Day weather

Thobela said the weather promised to be sunny and dry, with hot to very hot conditions across most of the Cape provinces, where fire ignition could lead to the costly spread of veld fires and extensive damage.

“Weather models suggest that only North West could experience scattered showers and thundershowers by late afternoon,” he said.

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