Weather warning for parts of KZN

Emergency plans have been activated in several KwaZulu-Natal municipalities to ensure that adequate support is provided to those who might be affected by heavy rains predicted to hit the province on Tuesday and Wednesday, 5 and 6 December.

KZN MEC for Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Nomusa Dube-Ncube placed her department’s disaster management teams on alert, following a weather warning issued by the South African Weather Service about heavy rains which could lead to localised flooding in eThekwini, Ilembe, King Cetshwayo, uMkhanyakude and Ugu districts.

The weather reports indicate showers are expected from Tuesday afternoon, which are expected to become heavy from early on Wednesday morning until 2pm. Impacts of this could include flooding roads leading to traffic disruptions, especially for morning commuters. Small streams may also rise sharply, with low-lying bridges overflowing. Mudslides are a possibility along river embankments.

“We urge our communities to take precautions and those who are planning to travel need to take the inclement weather into consideration. We have also instructed our disaster management teams to monitor key routes which are prone to flash flooding,” said Dube-Ncube.

The warning comes at a time when the province is gearing up to host thousands of holidaymakers. “Natural disasters are a risk in KZN as heavy rains and floods leave millions of rands in damages and occasionally result in loss of life. Parents must ensure their children are safe and do not go out when the weather is bad. Those residing in low-lying areas need to find shelter on higher ground,” added Dube-Ncube.