File picture: Armand Hough / African News Agency (ANA)
Cape Town – A major thunderstorm is expected to impact the central parts of the Western Cape from Thursday afternoon into Friday.
The South African Weather Service (SAWS) is warning that disruptive rainfall can be expected in the Garden Route, Central Karoo, Cape Winelands and Overberg (east of Ceres and Robertson), the Western Cape Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning Department said in a statement.
The SAWS projects between 20 to 30mm of rain, strong gusty winds, severe lightning and a large amount of small hail.
Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning MEC Anton Bredell says the regions to be affected include some of the worst drought-stricken areas in the Western Cape.
“We hope to see the good rains provide some welcome relief in this regard, but must warn the public about the high likelihood of severe disruptions due to the severity of the storm,’’ Bredell said.
The SAWS warns that localised damage to infrastructure and settlements as well as localised and short-term disruption to essential services can be expected
“Localised flooding/flash flooding of susceptible roads, low-lying areas, and bridges including mountain passes, such as Meiringspoort Pass, due to heavy downpours may occur.
’’We urge the public to use extreme caution when travelling around the affected regions for the next two days as conditions may be hazardous and to avoid being outdoors as much as possible.”
Members of the public are urged - in the event of any emergency - to contact the emergency services immediately. The easiest number to remember is 112. This is a toll-free number and can be dialled from any cell phone.
Additional regional numbers for reporting emergencies in the Western Cape:
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