Johannesburg
Flash floods force EMS to suspend search
and its surrounds had stormy, wet weather at the weekend, with temperatures down to 14°C. Drivers had to be extra cautious with the dangerous conditions on the roads. Flash floods were reported in some areas. The Weather Service has forecast sunny conditions for today.
A resident in Pretoria has reported that he saw two people being swept away by flash floods in the Apies River during a storm in the city on Saturday. The Capital Park resident’s report was among dozens that authorities responded to when strong floods and winds ripped through the area at the weekend. Tshwane Emergency Services spokesperson Johan Pieterse yesterday said that the river was still flooded and dangerous for search and rescue. “This morning [Sunday], a resident reported that he saw two bodies in the Apies River close to the low-water bridge in Capital Park. Emergency Services search and rescue unit and SAPS diving unit responded and started searching on the river banks for any person or bodies. The river is still flooded and too dangerous for the teams to enter the water,” he said. Pieterse said the search will resume today. Strong winds, thunderstorms and hail that continued throughout the night started at about 1pm yesterday, severely affecting northern and western areas. Storm-water drains were blocked and could not handle the massive amount of water as a result of the hail and debris entering certain areas,” he added. “The most severe flash floods were observed in Hammanskraal, Temba, Pretoria West and Pretoria North. “While emergency services rushed to the many incidents reported, it had to negotiate as best it could the gridlocked traffic in many areas due to flooded subways and low-water bridges. “The Apies River was in full flood for some time and traffic was directed away from the low-lying bridges and subways, especially the subway in Rachel de Beer Street in Pretoria North.” Low-water bridges were also affected in the Centurion area as the Hennops River was also in full flood for a considerable period of time. Many trees were also uprooted and those that fell on the roadways were cleared, Pieterse said. He said no injuries were reported during the storm. He said EMS was on high alert and monitoring the situation.