Be careful SA - weather service

Mkhushulwa Msimanga, Senior Forecaster for the South African Weather Services, warned this week that levels of soil moisture in many places remain high and thus it would not require much further rain to cause flooding. He urged communities living along river environments  to remain on high alert. Low-water bridges are also prone to flooding under such conditions and motorists are urged to be vigilant, especially at night and/or in conditions of limited visibility.
- If at all possible, stay indoors and off roads.
- If walking outdoors, avoid crossing rivers and swollen streams where water is above your ankles.
Just six inches of fast-moving flood water can knock a person off their feet and a depth of 2 feet is enough to float a car.
- Never try to walk, swim or drive through fast-moving flood water. Stop, turn around and go another way.
- Listen to the special warnings on radio and/or television.
- Do consider the information that has been shared by the Emergency Services or Disaster Management Centres
- Abandon your home immediately if evacuation is recommended, before access is cut off by flood water.
- Never drive into water covering the road. You would not know how deep it is or if the road has been washed away.
- If the vehicle stalls, leave it immediately and seek higher ground
- Be especially cautious at night when it’s harder to recognize flood dangers.
The South African Weather Service will continue monitoring any further developments relating to this weather system and will issue subsequent updates as required. Furthermore, the public is urged to regularly follow weather forecasts on television and radio.
Updated information
can also be found at www.weathersa.co.za as well as via the SA Weather Service twitter account @SAWeatherService.
- Edited by: Kevin Rae, Chief Forecaster.