DISASTER management teams around KZN continue to monitor vulnerable areas as heavy rain continues in the province.
The KZN Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs has called upon residents to exercise the utmost caution as inclement weather conditions continue to affect large parts of the province.
Heavy rain and severe thunderstorms experienced in the province during the weekend are expected to continue into the week. The continued rain increases the risk of flooding in low-lying areas.
MEC Sihle Zikalala said they are urging residents, especially those near rivers or in low-lying areas, to carefully guard their situation and seek shelter on higher ground.
“We also appeal to motorists and pedestrians not to cross low-lying bridges or flooded walkways,” said Zikalala.
He said the province during the summer season experiences heavy rainfall, which at times leads to unnecessary loss of life, especially among those that try to cross flooded rivers.
“We are in constant contact with disaster management teams in municipalities, and so far no major incident has been reported. We appeal to residents to use verified platforms to seek weather-related updates, such as the South African Weather Service page on social media and news updates,” he said.
Zikalala said the circulation of old videos and images causes unnecessary panic.
A resident, Sihle Dube (43), said since the rain began on Saturday night, 10 December, he hasn’t slept well.
He said this kind of rain that keeps pouring reminds him of the floods that took lives and left many families in great pain.
“I don’t think we are ready to go through another trauma. I just hope that this rain will stop very soon before it causes any damages. In Johannesburg there were floods just a week ago and it was painful to see,” he said.
