eThekwini braces for heavy rain just one day after severe hailstorm

Staff Reporter

eThekwini has placed its emergency services on high alert for two days of potentially disruptive rain, a day after a severe hailstorm, heavy downpours and strong winds caused flooding and traffic disruption across parts of the metro.

The municipality said on Wednesday it had activated its Disaster Management Centre and placed fire and emergency services, Metro Police and other frontline units on standby ahead of a Yellow Level 4 warning for disruptive rainfall.

The South African Weather Service (SAWS) warning is in effect from midnight on Thursday until 11.59pm on Friday and covers eThekwini and other municipalities in southern KwaZulu-Natal.

It follows severe weather that battered parts of eThekwini on Tuesday afternoon, bringing hail, heavy rain and strong winds.

Localised flooding was reported on the N3 eastbound before the Tollgate Bridge, where three lanes were closed after heavy downpours left parts of the freeway under water.

KZN MEC