By Marcus Moloko
Heavy thunderstorms caused dramatic flash flooding at O.R. Tambo International Airport.
Despite waist-deep water on access roads and flooding inside the domestic terminal, Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) confirmed that operations remained functional with no flight delays reported.
A localized cloudburst overwhelmed the roof drainage system at Domestic Terminal B, leading to partial flooding in the departures check-in area.
Video footage widely shared online showed water pooling across terminal floors and dripping onto check-in counters.
The main R21 off-ramp and access roads to the multi-storey parkade were submerged.
Police and emergency teams managed traffic, while passengers were filmed wading through waist-high water to reach entrances.
The South African Weather Service (SAWS) issued a Yellow Level 2 warning for Gauteng, cautioning of further severe thunderstorms, heavy downpours, and excessive lightning through Saturday, 31 January 2026.
ACSA urged passengers to check airline apps for real-time updates and allow extra travel time, two hours for domestic flights and three for international departures.
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