People are once again being warned by the South African Weather Service (Saws) of severe thunderstorms expected in KwaZulu-Natal on Wednesday afternoon.
The weather office said thunderstorm activities were observed over the Harry Gwala district moving north eastwards.
“The storms are expected to pass through parts of uMgungundlovu, uMvoti, King Cetshwayo, parts of Zululand and uMkhanyakude. Some of these thunderstorms are expected to become severe producing heavy downpours, strong damaging winds, hail and excessive lightning,” said the weather service.
The rain is expected to hit these areas: Big Five Hlabisa - Hlabisa, Big Five Hlabisa - Hluhluwe, Dr N. Dlamini-Zuma - Underberg, Greater Kokstad, Impendle, Ingwe, Jozini, Maphumulo, Mkhambathini, Mthonjaneni, Mtubatuba, Ndwedwe, Nkandla, Nongoma, Richmond, Msunduzi, Ubuhlebezwe, Ulundi, Umhlabuyalingana, uMhlathuze, uMlalazi, uMngeni, uMshwathi, UMuziwabantu, Umvoti, Umzimkhulu and uPhongolo.
KwaZulu-Natal has been experiencing severe thundershowers since December. The KZN Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) said that four people died including a three-year-old child who drowned in ward 8 of the Maphumulo Municipality.
The department said disaster management teams are still out rolling out interim relief measures to the 1 692 households that have been affected.
MEC Sipho has urged residents and all sectors of society to partner with the provincial government in the fight against climate change.
“All of us have to acknowledge that climate change is real, frequent and violent. We need to pay attention to all the severe weather warnings issued by the South African Weather Service to practice risk avoidance behaviour such as staying indoors, avoiding sporting and recreational activities during thunderstorms, and ensuring that we do not cross overflowing and running rivers either by car or on foot,” said Hlomuka.
