Tropical Storm Eloise. mage via: @SAWeatherService / Twitter
Tropical Storm Eloise: SAWS records major overnight rainfall figures
After wreaking havoc in Limpopo, Mpumalanga and Mozambique, Tropical Storm Eloise has moved onto KZN bringing high volumes of rain.
Tropical Storm Eloise. mage via: @SAWeatherService / Twitter
Tropical Storm Eloise made landfall in Limpopo and caused mass destruction over the weekend and there seems to be no end in sight as yet. On Monday morning 25 January, the South African Weather Service (SAWS) said there would be heavy and persistent rains over some parts of SA including KZN.
On Sunday, SAWS also issued a rare Level 10 warning regarding disruptive rainfall, saying it would continue into Monday.
TROPICAL STORM ELOISE: HIGH RAINFALL FIGURES RECORDED IN THREE PROVINCES
On Monday morning, SAWS said Tropical Storm Eloise — “an overland depression” — was situated along the Limpopo and Botswana border.
“It’s cloudy, windy and rainy over Limpopo, Gauteng, Mpumalanga, KZN and eastern North West province. Heavy and/or persistent rain will result in flooding in northern KZN, eastern MP, SW LMP” it said.
SAWS also went on to mention high rainfall figures that were recorded over the last 24 hours until 8:00 on Monday 25 January 2021.
KwaZulu-Natal:
- Charters Creek 205mm
- Makatini 123mm
- Riverview 78mm
- Pongola 81mm
Mpumalanga:
- Komatiedraai 127mm
- Nelspruit 116mm
- Kruger Int 88mm
- Belfast 66mm
Limpopo:
- Lephalale 84mm
- Thabazimbi 50mm
- Warmbad 58mm
Gauteng weather also sent out an alert on Sunday as Tropical Storm Eloise made its way further inland.
“Large storm rolling in over Pretoria, moving south. Some heavy rain and further strong winds are possible,” it said.
KZN DISASTER MANAGEMENT TEAMS ON ALERT
On Sunday 24 January, KZN MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Sipho Hlomuka said inclement weather conditions had commenced in the northern parts of the province due to Tropical Storm Eloise.
Hlomuka urged residents to exercise extreme caution as the weather conditions were expected to deteriorate and bring the possibility of widespread flooding in areas within the uMkhanyakude district.
Earlier in the week, Hlomuka placed disaster management teams on high alert in the uMkhanyakude district where extensive efforts began by local disaster management teams to warn residents in areas that are expected to be severely affected by the disruptive rainfall caused by Tropical Storm Eloise.
“The areas of Big Five-Hlabisa, Jozini, Mtubatuba and Mhlabuyalingana are expected to receive severe rainfall from this afternoon [Sunday] into tomorrow [Monday]. These weather conditions will likely pose risks to human life,” the statement read.
The department engaged municipalities under the uMkhanyakude district to open community halls in the identified areas to temporarily house vulnerable families.
The weather conditions, according to the department, are also expected to affect parts of the King Cetshwayo and Zululand districts (Abaqulusi, eDumbe, Mthonjaneni, Nongoma, Ulundi, Mlalazi and uPhongolo), although to a lesser extent.
