The North West, Free State, Northern Cape and Eastern Cape have been issued a Level 4 flood warning for Wednesday, January 27 by the South African Weather Service (SAWS).
SAWS warned that flooding in low-laying areas may occur, as well as disruption to traffic and basic services. Damage to agricultural crops and livestock are also a possibility.
‘Level 4 Warning for Disruptive rainfall expected over the western parts of the North West and the extreme north-eastern parts of the Northern Cape, spreading to the western and central parts of the Free State and the eastern interior of the Eastern Cape,’ said the weather agency.
Central parts of South Africa are expected to receive heavy rainfall on Wednesday until the weekend. Picture: Facebook/ SAWS
This comes as ex-Eloise, a weakened extratropical low-pressure system, is situated in the south-west of Botswana. The rain is expected to continue until the weekend.
‘Given the position of this low-pressure system, and taking into account its clockwise rotation (in the southern hemisphere), a broad stream of tropically-sourced moisture is now being channeled southwards into the central parts of the country, extending over most of the Free State, North West province and the north-eastern half of the Northern Cape where scattered to widespread of showers and thundershowers are expected from Tuesday afternoon (26 January 2021) onwards, continuing until the weekend,’ said SAWS in a statement.
The following impacts associated with disruptive rainfall can be expected:
1. Localised/flash flooding of low-lying areas, informal and formal settlements.
2. Impaired agricultural production due to flooding and damage to crops.
3. Difficult driving conditions (major- and dirt roads) due to reduced visibility and flooding of roads which can contribute to minor vehicle accidents and increased travel time.
4. Disruption to essential services (e.g. power cuts, network issues, interruption of water supply to smaller towns).
5. Vulnerable communities adjacent to floodplains and riverbeds should be on high alert should river levels rise, causing flooding of communities and settlements. This can ultimately lead to displacement or evacuation of such communities at short notice.
6. Danger to life: The public are strongly urged to refrain from crossing flooded streams or rivers by vehicle or on foot.
Picture: Unsplash
