Joburg EMS puts water-response team on alert amid thunderstorm warning

Johannesburg Emergency Management Services has placed its specialist water-response team on alert as residents face a Level 2 severe thunderstorm warning in Gauteng on Wednesday, 30 September.

EMS spokesperson Kagiso Phasha confirmed the city’s readiness to respond to water-related emergencies in an update reported by SABC News at 09:42 on Wednesday. The service urged drivers and pedestrians to take care in the wet conditions.

Residents were advised to stay away from flooded areas and find safe shelter during thunderstorms. Phasha also cautioned against standing in open spaces or near isolated trees when lightning is present.

Motorists were urged to be particularly careful on wet, slippery roads.

The South African Weather Service forecast for Wednesday includes a yellow Level 2 thunderstorm warning for Gauteng, central and eastern parts of North West, and central and western parts of Limpopo, according to The Citizen’s report of the forecast.

Gauteng is forecast to remain cloudy and cold, with scattered showers and thundershowers during Wednesday.

Potential impacts include flooding on vulnerable roads, bridges and low-lying ground, as well as local damage to buildings and infrastructure. The forecast identifies heavy downpours, damaging winds, hail and frequent lightning as the main storm hazards.

A separate yellow Level 2 damaging-wind warning applies to Nelson Mandela Bay, Buffalo City, Ndlambe, Ngqushwa and Sundays River Valley municipalities in the Eastern Cape. Possible effects include disruption to beachfront activities and difficulty navigating at sea.

Residents should follow current SAWS warnings and instructions from local disaster management authorities as conditions change. The weather service has urged the public to avoid circulating unverified weather information.

Sources: SABC News; The Citizen; SAnews.