Gauteng hit with heavy flooding following yellow thunderstorm warning
While Gauteng has had its fair share of storms over the years, no province anywhere in South Africa can get used to or be prepared for damaging floods and severe weather conditions.
On Tuesday 10 November 2020, the South African Weather Service (Saws) issued a yellow thunderstorm warning, saying that it could lead to heavy rainfall, flooding, strong winds and hail and boy was their prediction correct.
Saws, as well as, Gauteng weather has been receiving imagery and videos painting a bleak picture of what has been taking place in the province. On Monday 5 October, roughly one month ago, Gauteng was also hit by flash floods impacting road users across the province.
GAUTENG BATTLES FLOODS AND LIGHTNING AMID THUNDERSTORM
On Tuesday moring Saws said Johannesburg would experience a high of 22 degrees and a low of 14 degrees. It also said Johannesburg, Pretoria, Hammanskraal and springs would experience heavy rainfall. In the meantime, Saws said Vereeniging could expect lightning and thunderstorms.
It then posted a satellite image for Tuesday saying; “a band of thunderstorms over the NW, GP, eastern FS into KZN. Yellow thunderstorm warning in effect for some areas. Please drive safely and keep a safe following distance.”
ReenvalSA also received reports about a tree that was allegedly struck by lightning in Pretoria.
Gauteng Weather reported that there had been mass flooding in Fourways.
“Large slow-moving storm could result in more heavy downpours, particularly over parts of Pretoria and northern Johannesburg.”
‘FREAK’ STORM FOUR YEARS AGO
Gauteng Weather also posted two images from four years ago, reminiscing on how nine people lost their lives in a “freak” storm.
“Nine people killed when a ‘freak’ storm caused flash flooding. It marks one of the deadliest weather-related events of recent times in Gauteng!” it said.
A Twitter user said; “I remember this day! My office was in Greenstone, so I’d go to the gym after work to let the traffic die down then catch the N3 home. This day, I left gym and stood in a queue for the N3 forever. I was in modderfontein road.”
“It wasn’t until I checked google maps and saw that it would take me five hours to get home! I got off the queue and eventually found enough back routes to get me home (still clueless about what was going on). I saw the horrible news when I got home. This was a horrible day for many!” the user added.
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