Pietermaritzburg and Durban lashed by severe storms: Motorists warned of hazardous conditions
Large parts of northern Pietermaritzburg, including Hilton, Hilton, Town Hill, Blackridge, Prestbury, Old Howick Road and Sweetwaters Road, experienced rapid waterlogging and storm damage in Tuesday's storm.
Image: KZN Traffic / Facebook
KwaZulu-Natal was hit by severe thunderstorms on Tuesday afternoon, leading to major disruption across Hilton, Pietermaritzburg and eThekwini as heavy rain, hail, flooding and falling trees created hazardous conditions on multiple routes.
Large parts of northern Pietermaritzburg, including Hilton, Town Hill, Blackridge, Prestbury, Old Howick Road and Sweetwaters Road, experienced rapid waterlogging and storm damage.
According to a traffic update earlier this afternoon the N3 at Town Hill had been closed in both directions after severe flooding and poor visibility rendered the freeway unsafe.
Motorists travelling through the area were faced with thick mist, debris and fast-rising water on both the N3 and surrounding routes. Authorities urged drivers to slow down, increase following distance and avoid attempting to cross flooded sections of road.
Local councillors had earlier warned residents to avoid unnecessary travel, noting that rainfall and hail were causing increasingly dangerous conditions on Old Howick Road, the N3 corridor and surrounding routes.
Province-wide, the severe weather coincided with Level 4 and Level 5 thunderstorm warnings issued by the South African Weather Service. In response, the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) placed all disaster management teams on high alert.
In its statement, Cogta said the storms would be accompanied by “heavy downpours, damaging winds, excessive lightning, and hail, with the potential for flash flooding, bridge and road wash-aways, mudslides, rockfalls, and major traffic disruptions.” The Department warned that communities in low-lying areas, near rivers and streams, and informal settlements were particularly vulnerable.
Cogta MEC Reverend Thulasizwe Buthelezi urged residents to take precautions, stating that communities should “move to higher, safer ground if conditions worsen,” and emphasised the need for municipalities to enforce bylaws in areas where structures are built close to waterways. Cogta added that disaster teams were monitoring conditions in real time.
The eThekwini Municipality also issued a severe weather notice, warning residents of intense thunderstorms expected to last until midnight. In its alert, the Municipality said forecasts indicated “widespread showers and intense thunderstorms across most parts of KwaZulu-Natal, with conditions likely to include heavy downpours, excessive lightning, strong damaging winds, and hail.”
It cautioned that rainfall could lead to flooding on roads, bridges and low-lying settlements, and that poor visibility and slippery surfaces would make driving hazardous.
The municipality said, “informal and mud-based structures are particularly vulnerable to damage” and advised residents to stay indoors and avoid unnecessary travel. It also warned residents not to attempt crossing swollen rivers or streams and noted that the alert “remains subject to change as conditions evolve.”
Emergency and disaster management teams across the province remain mobilised and are responding to storm-related incidents as they arise. Residents are urged to remain indoors where possible, stay away from flooded areas and monitor official updates as conditions continue to shift into the evening.