Heavy rains continue to lash parts of KwaZulu-Natal.
PHOTO: Darren Stewart/Gallo Images
- As heavy rains continue to lash parts of KwaZulu-Natal, motorists have been warned to drive cautiously.
- Several traffic delays have been reported due to waterlogged areas and roads.
- The Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs said large parts of the province have been affected by the inclement weather since the weekend.
KwaZulu-Natal motorists are being urged to be vigilant and take extra care on the road because of heavy rainfall that has battered the province since the weekend, with the potential of some localised flooding.
The inclement weather continued on Monday morning as paramedic services reported several dangerous water puddles and traffic delays throughout eThekwini.
ALS paramedic spokesperson Garrith Jamieson said with the torrential rain overnight, multiple roads were waterlogged.
READ | Heavy rain to wreak more havoc in Gauteng, other parts of SA – weather service
“Some of the roads that we have notified relevant services about include the M7 near the Bellville off-ramp on the S-bends. Pools of water have started to form there which has become rather dangerous if a vehicle has to hit it.”
The area near the old airport on the N2 was also waterlogged, as well as in Isipingo and surrounding areas where there are multiple areas where water has accumulated.
The M19 was severely waterlogged in both directions, with Jamieson saying his teams attended to multiple collisions on the M19 on Monday morning, in the vicinity of Dunkeld and Reservoir Hills.
A truck overturned on the N3 in Hammarsdale, going towards Pietermaritzburg, causing delays, he said, adding that there were multiple collisions on Queen Nandi Drive near Newlands East Drive where services were currently in attendance.
“We encourage people to drive safely today and allow for enough time to reach your destination,” Jamieson added.
Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) MEC Sihle Zikalala called on residents in KZN “to exercise the utmost caution as inclement weather conditions continue to affect large parts of the province”.
“Heavy rains and severe thunderstorms experienced by the province during the weekend are expected to continue into the week. The continued rains increase the risk of flooding in low-lying areas.”
He urged communities, especially those near rivers or in low-lying areas, to be careful and seek shelter on higher ground.
He said:
We also appeal to motorists and pedestrians not to cross low-lying bridges or flooded walkways. The province of KZN during the summer season experiences these heavy rains, which at times lead to the unnecessary loss of life, especially amongst those that try to cross flooded rivers.
The department was in constant contact with disaster management teams in municipalities, and so far, no major incidents have been reported, Zikalala said.
“We appeal to residents to use verified platforms to seek weather-related updates, such as the South African Weather Service page on social media and news updates. The circulation of old videos and images causes unnecessary panic.”
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