SAWS Level 8 Warning: Deadly rainfall to hit the following areas across South Africa with widespread flooding, damage to property, buildings and roads

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KwaZulu-Natal is bracing for potentially catastrophic flooding as the South African Weather Service (SAWS) issued a Level 8 orange warning for disruptive rainfall, effective from Monday. This follows a weekend of severe storms that already caused significant damage in other parts of the country. The warning, upgraded from an earlier alert, signals a high risk of widespread flooding, significant property damage, and potential danger to life.

The SAWS warning specifically highlights the potential for widespread flooding of roads and settlements, posing a serious danger to life due to fast-flowing streams and deep water. The expected damage includes widespread destruction to property and buildings, loss of livelihoods and livestock, and damage or destruction of major roads and bridges. Municipal services, including water and electricity, are also expected to be severely disrupted.

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The affected areas along the KwaZulu-Natal coast include Big Five Hlabisa, Hluhluwe, eThekwini, Jozini, KwaDukuza, Mandeni, Maphumulo, Mkhambathini, Mthonjaneni, Ndwedwe, Nongoma, Ray Nkonyeni, Umdoni, Umhlabuyalingana, Umhlathuze, Umlalazi, Umzumbe, and uPhongolo. A slightly less severe orange level 6 warning (disruptive rain) applies to most of the province, excluding the south-west. Further inland, an orange level 5 warning for disruptive rain and flooding covers Gauteng, parts of Limpopo and Mpumalanga, the Highveld, and the north-eastern Free State, as well as the south-western parts of KwaZulu-Natal. A yellow level 2 warning for disruptive rain has also been issued for the Free State, North West, parts of the Eastern Cape and Limpopo, and north-eastern Mpumalanga.

The severity of the situation is underscored by the devastation already witnessed in Welkom, Free State, where Sunday's storms caused significant damage to schools, businesses, and homes. The Welkom Fire Station, HTS School, Unitas School, and numerous residential and commercial properties were affected. Matjhabeng Local Municipality spokesperson Tshediso Tlali reported that emergency response teams are working to assess the damage and provide relief, prioritising the restoration of essential services and infrastructure. "Residents whose homes have been damaged are urged to report incidents to their local ward councilors to ensure they receive the necessary support," Tlali stated, adding a plea for community caution and cooperation with emergency personnel.

In KwaZulu-Natal, the provincial government is taking the warning extremely seriously. MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta), Thulasizwe Buthelezi, confirmed that disaster management teams are on high alert. He detailed the proactive measures taken: "This morning [Sunday], the Provincial Disaster Management Centre convened the Joint Operations Committee, (JOC) with key stakeholders, including Sanral, SAPS, disaster management practitioners at municipal level, social partners, and line function departments such as EDTEA, social development, transport, and agriculture, where all stakeholders indicated their state of readiness to deal with any eventuality that might arise from the inclement weather conditions." Teams are deployed across all districts to monitor areas prone to weather-related incidents.

The timing of the severe weather is particularly concerning, as it coincides with the return of holidaymakers from the festive season. The potential for overflowing low-water bridges, localised flooding, and disruption of major routes adds another layer of complexity to the emergency response. The department anticipates additional impacts including flooding of settlements, roads, and bridges, damage to property and infrastructure (particularly mud-based houses), and poor driving conditions leading to major traffic disruptions due to road and bridge closures.

Given the scale of the predicted disruption, residents are urged to take precautions. The advice includes avoiding flooded roads and streams, moving to higher ground if water levels rise, refraining from travelling on bridges or roads in low-lying areas, and ensuring vehicle headlights are on and driving slowly during showery conditions.


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