Batten down hatches for heavy rain, strong winds
Heavy rain and strong winds are expected to batter the Eastern Cape this week, with the worst on course to hit Nelson Mandela Bay and Kouga today.
The SA Weather Service (SAWS) has issued weather advisories and warned of localised flooding in low-lying areas in the Bay and surrounds, and both municipalities have confirmed their readiness should serious emergencies arise.
Between 30mm and 50mm of rain is expected across the two regions, with wind speeds of up to 50km/h in places.
At the same time, SAWS has issued a warning of severe thunderstorms further inland, specifically in areas such as Nxuba (formerly Cradock), Graaff-Reinet and KwaNojoli (formerly Somerset East).
The weather service’s Pumla Msutu said alerts for disruptive rain had been issued for the Bay, Kouga, Koukamma and Sundays River Valley municipalities as widespread showers were expected across the coastal regions of the province.
The inclement weather is expected to peak today and gradually taper off towards the end of the week.
“The cut-off low system is expected to move through the Eastern Cape tomorrow [today] and exit the country in the evening.
“Scattered to widespread showers and thundershowers are expected across the province, while daytime temperatures are expected to be cool, ranging between 18°C and 22°C.”
Kouga municipality spokesperson Monique Basson said emergency services and disaster management had taken note of the forecasts and would be on standby.
“At this stage, no specific areas of concern have been identified, but emergency personnel will be on high alert and emergency operations will be launched as needed.”
On its Facebook page, the Kouga municipality also posted weather warnings for galeforce winds and disruptive rain between yesterday and tomorrow.
Residents were advised to secure any loose objects around their homes, such as ladders and bins, and ensure all doors and windows were securely closed.
They were also warned against starting open fires outside.
“Difficult driving conditions and traffic disruptions can also be expected as a result of heavier falls and poor visibility,” the post read further.
In Nelson Mandela Bay, municipal spokesperson Mamela Ndamase said they had teams on standby to respond to emergencies should they arise.
“In the event of heavy rainfall, we expect low-lying areas to be flooded.
“Certain informal settlements will be monitored closely for localised flooding, and we will keep an eye on low water crossings such as Third Avenue in Newton Park,” Ndamase said.
Meanwhile, the catchment areas for the Nelson Mandela Bay water supply system received some welcome rain at the weekend, but not enough to have any significant impact on main supply dam levels.
As of yesterday morning, the average across all major dams was 60%.
The Kouga and Impofu dams were at 81.66% and 21.85%, respectively, while Churchill and Groendal were at 80.34% and 88.81%.