Death toll rises as floods batter parts of South Africa
Flooding in South Africa has claimed three lives as heavy rains batter multiple provinces. Authorities warn of worsening conditions, severe flooding risks, snow, and damaging winds, with Orange Level warnings issued for several regions.
Flooding has left three people dead as heavy rains continue across South Africa.
The National Disaster Management Centre says two bodies were recovered in the Northern Cape following the death of a 12-year-old in Taung, North West.
Infrastructure damage has been reported in the North West and the Northern Cape, while the Western Cape, especially the Garden Route, is being closely monitored.
The situation is set to intensify over the south and south-eastern parts of the country on Wednesday, when very heavy rain may result in severe flooding.
The areas at risk are the eastern parts of the Western Cape and the south-western parts of the Eastern Cape.
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The South African Weather Service has issued an Orange Level 8 warning for disruptive rain over the eastern parts of the Garden Route District in the Western Cape, as well as Kouga and Kou-Kamma local municipalities in the Eastern Cape on Wednesday and Thursday.
An Orange Level 6 warning for severe thunderstorms has been issued for the eastern parts of KwaZulu-Natal on Wednesday.
SAWS forecaster Tokelo Chiloane said snow can also be expected.
"In addition, there is snow expected from Wednesday evening to affect the high grounds over the north-eastern parts of the Western Cape, southern portions of the Northern Cape, as well as north of the Eastern Cape. These may disrupt some roads in those areas.
"There are also strong winds expected on Wednesday, though much of the western and central interior of the country, spreading to the east later in the day, and may become damaging in places," she added.
Chiloane said a sharp decrease in temperatures over much of the country, except the extreme north-eastern parts, can be expected on Wednesday and Thursday, when some of the high-lying areas may see maximum temperatures in the teens or even lower.
Conditions are expected to gradually improve from Friday, although cold conditions may persist in some high-lying places into the weekend.
