Warning: Heavy rains for Christmas Day in KZN | The Witness

Disaster management teams are “closely monitoring the inclement weather conditions” as heavy rainfall is expected in KwaZulu-Natal from Monday afternoon through Wednesday.

According to a media statement from KZN Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta), a weather alert issued by the South African Weather Services (Saws) said there would be disruptive rains in the province.

The areas expected to be affected include the districts of Zululand, uThukela, uMzinyathi, uMgungundlovu, King Cetshwayo, and Harry Gwala.

These conditions could lead to flooding of settlements, roads, and bridges; damage to property and infrastructure; damage to mud-based houses; poor driving conditions; and major disruption of traffic flow due to road and bridge closures or flooding,” the statement read.

“Additionally, a level 2 weather warning has been issued for eThekwini, Harry Gwala, Ugu, uMkhanyakude, King Cetshwayo, uThukela, iLembe, and Amajuba for today and tomorrow.

“The risk of flooding is high in all these areas due to increased soil saturation from the weekend’s heavy rains. Disaster management teams will continue to monitor the weather conditions in these areas,” it added.

The release said the Provincial Disaster Management Centre will be co-ordinating the province’s disaster response through partnerships with stakeholders and, in co-operation with Sanral, closely monitor all the main routes in the province.

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Highlighting the threat that inclement weather poses, Cogta said that heavy rains and strong winds damaged electricity infrastructure in the province which left many communities without electricity last weekend.

“In the eThekwini Metro, two people lost their lives on Saturday, 21 December, at the Nkanini Informal Settlement in Cato Manor, Ward 30, when heavy rains caused a retaining wall to collapse onto two informal structures. A 38-year-old male and an 18-year-old female were declared deceased at the scene,” it added.

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Because of the danger that inclement weather poses, the department recommended the following precautions that residents can take during such weather conditions:

• Stay updated on the latest weather forecasts and warnings.
• Avoid flood-prone areas like low-lying bridges.
• Try to stay indoors during inclement weather conditions.
• Have an emergency kit ready with essential items like water, food, medication, and a flashlight.
• Check on drainage systems, to see if they are clear.
• Travel only when necessary and be very cautious on the road by driving slowly and keeping a distance from other vehicles.
• Avoid contact with flood water as it might be contaminated and have health implications.
• Keep electrical appliances in high places so that potential floods do not damage them and/or make them a hazard.
• Be on the lookout for landslides, “If you live in a hilly area, be aware of the risk of landslides due to saturated soil”.