South African weather services have warned of heavy thunderstorms, hail and localised flooding in parts of South Africa this coming week.
Johannesburg, South Africa – Thunderstorms and heavy rains are being experienced across parts of South Africa with some coming with severe weather warnings.
KwaZulu-Natal, Free State and Gauteng have all been issued with flood warning along with the severe thunderstorms.
In the City of Ekurhuleni, the weather service predicts an 80-100 per cent chance of showers and thundershowers starting today and going on through to the weekend. Thankfully, they predict some sunshine to come through over the weekend.
“Heavy rain may also result in rivers, low-lying bridges, open trenches, furrows, culverts and even canals to flood causing damage to adjacent and downstream areas that may not receive any rainfall” – William Ntladi, spokesperson for Ekurhuleni emergency services.
The service shared an infographic about the differences between normal thunder and heavy thunder. They have coined “When thunder roars, go indoors” as part of their safety campaign.
⛈️ Normal VS Severe thunderstorms ⛈️
When thunder roars, go in doors! ⚡️@ReenvalSA @huisgenoot @landbou pic.twitter.com/8Amc0KmXZb
— SA Weather Service (@SAWeatherServic) January 10, 2019
For more information about the storms in your area and to see further warnings, follow their Twitter page for live updates.
WATCH: 12/02/2019 14h00 TO:12/02/2019 23h00 Severe Thunderstorms are forecast over parts of Harry Gwala, Uthukela, Umgungundlovu and Umvoti (KZN) with possible heavy downpours leading to localized flooding.
— SA Weather Service (@SAWeatherServic) February 12, 2019
WATCH: 12/02/2019 13h00 TO:12/02/2019 23h00 Severe Thunderstorms expected over the southern parts of the Free State and along the Losotho border today.
— SA Weather Service (@SAWeatherServic) February 12, 2019
The weather warning along with loadshedding problems means we need to be prepared for anything.
Storm Prep 101:
- Secure all outdoor furniture, dustbins and items that could potentially move around and cause damage during strong winds. If you have a child’s jungle gym, cable tie the swings to the pillars to avoid them swinging around and becoming damaged as well.
- Check all gutters and drains, clearing anything that could potentially block them and cause your garden to flood.
- Stay at home if weather could cause a danger on the roads.
- Keep torches and extra batteries in case of a power-outage and should you be using gas or candles, ensure the room is ventilated and candles are kept in glass containers to avoid fires.
- Charge all mobile devices and have emergency numbers on hand (see the list below)
- Store enough water for every family member and animal.
- Do not leave your animals outside (we cannot stress this enough, if you are scared, they will be too!) Allocate a safe enclosed space for your pets and comfort them as needed.
- If you really want to go full blown ‘Doomsday Preppers’, you can have non-perishable food on hand that is easy to cook using gas.
- Check that your first-aid kit is filled with the essentials and within its expiration date.
- If anything should happen, do not panic. Stay calm and think clearly.
- If you find yourself trapped in a flooding car, abandon the car and get to safety.
Helpful Emergency Numbers (SA):
- Nationwide Emergency Response – 10111. This number will take you to a call centre which will assist with any emergency at hand and direct the appropriate response team. This number is free from landlines but regular rates are charged from cellphones.
- Cellphone Emergency Number – 112. This number will direct you to an automated menu which you then select your required need. This number allows cellphones without airtime to get assistance.
- Ambulance Response – 10177. This will help in medical emergencies. When making the call, state the emergency plus details of the person(s) injured, exact location (include any landmarks) and your personal details as clearly as possible. This number is also the same for the Fire Brigade.
Stay safe out there and remember to pass this along to everyone you know, because you never know when it may be needed.