A Level 6 warning of disruptive rains has been issued for the northern parts of KwaZulu-Natal on Wednesday. The weather is believed to be from Storm Filipino.
According to the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) the heavy rains could result in natural disasters and the flooding of roads, bridges, and settlements, major disruption of traffic flow and disruption to essential services including water, electricity and communications.
"The level 6 alert indicates a high probability of flooding as a significant amount of rainfall exceeding 100mm is expected over the extreme north-eastern part of KZN," said Cogta media liaison, Sboniso Mngadi.
He said disaster management teams have been activated across all municipalities.
"We advise communities to seek shelter in safe places. Public facilities, such as community halls, are open as safe havens for those in need of shelter. Our teams may have to evacuate people, should they foresee high risk of danger due to inclement weather. Motorists are strongly advised to avoid travelling during this period, as bridges may become flooded, posing a risk to life," Mngadi said.
Areas likely to be affected include; uMhlathuze, Mtubatuba, Big Five Hlabisa, Nongoma, Jozini, uPhongolo and Umhlabuyalingana local municipalities.
The South African Weather Service (Saws) said the weather system is currently over the southern areas of Mozambique.
“The system is expected to result in disruptive rain over the north eastern areas of South Africa,” Saws added.
Meanwhile, ALS Paramedics has warned to take care, as parts of Durban experience a heatwave.
"With many schools with sports activities taking place, we would like to urge all teachers and parents to please ensure that there is adequate hydration available for all taking part,“ said ALS Paramedics spokesperson, Garrith Jamieson.
He further urged people to think of the very young and elderly who fall victims to dehydration a lot quicker, and to make sure they maintain a cool temperature. It is also important that pet owners ensure that their animals have adequate fresh water.
Classic signs of heat stroke/ exhaustion can be
- Headache and Nausea
- Dizziness
- Sweating which then becomes dry due to loss of bodily fluid
- Feeling of light-headedness
- Weakness and body fatigue
- High Temperature
- Convulsions
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