Pretoria bridge washed away

10/03/2014. A school girl stands helplessly in the rain without an umbrella after school in Pretoria CBD. Pretoria has been experiencing heavy rainfall since the beginning of last week. Picture: Oupa Mokoena

10/03/2014. A school girl stands helplessly in the rain without an umbrella after school in Pretoria CBD. Pretoria has been experiencing heavy rainfall since the beginning of last week. Picture: Oupa Mokoena

Published Mar 11, 2014

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Pretoria -

A low-water bridge was washed away by flood water in Mabopane, north of Pretoria, Tshwane emergency services said on Tuesday.

A taxi carrying 13 passengers tried to cross the bridge on Monday, spokesman Johan Pieterse said.

“None of the passengers were injured and the taxi was recovered,” he said.

The SA Weather Service said on Tuesday the possibility of localised flooding in the eastern parts of the country remained due to high saturation caused by the rainfall.

These included Gauteng, the Free State, and North West, forecaster Elizabeth Webster said.

An 80-percent chance of showers was expected in these regions on Tuesday.

Rainfall patterns would shift to the north-eastern parts of the country, including Gauteng, Mpumalanga, and Limpopo, on Wednesday.

“This would also bring an 80-percent chance of rain to the region,” said Webster.

The rainy weather conditions were expected to clear up in the north-eastern regions by Friday.

No new flood-related incidents were reported in Johannesburg overnight, Johannesburg emergency services said on Tuesday.

“We will continue to monitor the area,” said spokesman Robert Mulaudzi.

It was common practice to mobilise SA National Defence Force officials for assistance in rainy weather conditions, SANDF spokesman Brig-Gen Xonani Mabanga said.

“(However) there has been no request from any department for such assistance as yet,” Mabanga said. - Sapa

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