SAWS Warns of Continued Heavy Rains in Limpopo and Mpumalanga As Residents Brace for Damaging Floods
- The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has warned of more disruptive rain for parts of Limpopo and Mpumalanga
- Both provinces have experienced flooding, infrastructure damage, and even death following a week of heavy rainfall
- Both provinces were visited by President Cyril Ramaphosa following the destructive floods which affected several areas
- Briefly News spoke to some residents in Limpopo and Mpumalanga about the recent heavy rains, which have battered the provinces
Source: Getty Images
LIMPOPO – The heavy rains which have battered parts of Limpopo and Mpumalanga over the past week show no signs of slowing down.
Both provinces have experienced unrelenting rain, which has led to flooding, infrastructure damage, and even death. Mother Nature isn’t done just yet, either, with the South African Weather Service (SAWS) warning of more to come.
President Cyril Ramaphosa also visited the affected areas, promising support for those who suffered losses as a result of the severe weather. Many people lost their homes, livestock and other possessions, but others tragically lost family members.
SAWS issues weather warning for Tuesday, 20 January
As residents in both provinces are still reeling from the devastating effects of the continued disruptive rainfall, the SA Weather Service issued further warnings.
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SAWS warned that the disruptive rain, leading to flooding, was expected to continue in parts of Limpopo and Mpumalanga on Tuesday, 20 January. Thunderstorms are also expected across most provinces, while damaging winds are forecast for parts of the Western Cape.
Limpopo prepares for more heavy rains
A Yellow Level 4 warning was issued for disruptive rain with heavy downpours in the northern parts of Limpopo, which could lead to the flooding of roads, settlements, and low-lying bridges/areas. The floods also pose a risk to life.
A resident of Polokwane who spoke to Briefly News said that the area had experienced continuous rainfall but was thankfully not in the danger zone, unlike other parts of the province.
Mpumalanga braces for potential flooding
The weather service also issued a Yellow Level 2 warning for disruptive rain in the eastern and western parts of Limpopo, and along the escarpment and Lowveld in Mpumalanga. SAWS warned that this could cause localised flooding, urging motorists to be wary of increased travel times, as major roads could be affected.
Source: Getty Images
A resident of Secunda, who asked to remain anonymous, told Briefly News that while that part of Mpumalanga had been battered by the heavy rains, they had not experienced flooding yet. She did say that it was very cold recently, as if winter had set in.
Other stories about the severe flooding
Briefly News reported that there have been several articles about the floods in both provinces and the damage they left behind.
- Limpopo and Mpumalanga were placed under a Red Level 10 flood alert amid the forecast for further heavy rains.
- Two more children were reported missing as the government declared the floods a national disaster.
- A two-year-old boy drowned in a pit in Humulani village, which had filled up with water from the relentless storms.
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Source: Briefly News
