Authorities in the Eastern Cape are on high alert amid predicted heavy rainfall in parts of the province.
The SA Weather Service said at the weekend that some areas in the summer rainfall region had recently experienced their first spring thunderstorms, but much of SA had experienced calm weather over the last few days.
This is set to change with the arrival of a cut-off low pressure system, which is expected to affect the southern, central, and eastern provinces from Sunday until Tuesday.
Cut-off low-pressure systems are notorious for resulting in severe weather during the spring months, including heavy rainfall that can lead to flooding, as well as intense thunderstorms accompanied by hail and damaging winds.
This system is expected to result in widespread and disruptive rainfall along the coastal regions and adjacent areas of the Eastern Cape and the southern and central coast of KwaZulu-Natal, which may result in minor to significant flooding in some areas.
The weather authority said the cut-off low would develop over the southwestern parts of the country on Sunday, while a stationary surface high-pressure system would bring moisture to the southern and south-eastern regions.
These systems would lead to widespread rainfall over parts of the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal, mainly from Sunday to Tuesday.
Some Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) models suggest that accumulated rainfall could reach 100-200mm along the coast of the Eastern Cape and the central and southern coast of KwaZulu-Natal during this period.
The weather service has issued the following impact-based warnings:
.• Orange Level 6 Warning: Disruptive rain leading to flooding of settlements, roads, damage to property and infrastructure is expected along the coast and adjacent interior between Port Alfred and Mtunzini from Sunday into Monday;
• Yellow Level 4 Warning: Disruptive rain leading to localised flooding of settlement, roads, damage to property and infrastructure for the Nelson Mandela Bay metro, Kouga, Sundays River Valley, Makana and Mdlambe local municipality as well Ngqushwa are expected on Sunday into Monday and likely to persist until Tuesday; and
• Yellow Level 2 Warning: Disruptive rain leading to localised flooding of susceptible roads, low-lying areas and bridges is expected south of escarpment of the eastern parts of the Eastern Cape from Sunday into Monday.
“Calm weather conditions are expected to return on Wednesday as the cut-off low moves eastward, away from the southeastern coast.
“The SA Weather Service will continue to monitor any further developments relating to this weather system and will issue subsequent updates as required.
“Furthermore, the public is urged and encouraged to regularly follow weather forecasts on television and radio,” SAWS said.
On Sunday, BCM spokesperson Samkelo Ngwenya said the city was on high alert.
“Yesterday [Saturday] there was a heavy downpour, but fortunately it was mainly in the early hours of the morning and night when people were not travelling a lot.
“The most affected infrastructure is roads where we’ve got one or two flooded roads like Fleet Street.
“Our teams have been alerted to try to clear some of the drainage because roads flood because of people throwing rubbish in to the drains, which clogs the system.
“We don’t have a lot of electricity outages and flooded areas, but there are one or two areas in Parkside in the usual areas that normal have water coming in Ford Street in Duncan Village.
“Our teams will continue to be on standby. We are working with ward councillors so that wherever there are issues they are reported and we can react.”
OR Tambo municipality spokesperson Zimkhita Macingwane said there was no reported damage by midday on Sunday.
“We shared the warning so as to keep the communities alert and extra cautious,” she said.
Amathole district municipality spokesperson Sisa Msiwa said there was no reported damages by midday on Sunday.
“We are, however, continuing to urge our communities to not cross overflowing bridges and streams to avoid loss of lives.
“Also, our motorists are cautioned to remain vigilant while driving on wet roads,” she said.
Transport spokesperson Makhaya Komisa said there were no incidents or road closures reported at this stage.
“However, we continue to urge motorists to drive cautiously as most roads are wet and slippery due to heavy rainfalls.”
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