Durban - KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Sipho Hlomuka, has warned of a mega storm set to lash parts of the province on Thursday and Friday.
Speaking at an emergency media briefing on Thursday morning, Hlomuka said the Disaster Risk Management Centre received a further advice by the South African Weather Service of adverse weather which indicates that heavy rain, as high as 150mm or more and strong gale-force winds are expected all over the province on Thursday and Friday.
"The expected storms are likely to be coupled with gale-force winds, mud slides, hail storms and localised flooding. The intensity of these rains is anticipated to be greater than that experienced in April 2019, during Easter holidays," he said.
Hlomuka said a Provincial Joint Operation Centre in eThekwini, has been set up which will coordinate province-wide responses to imminent crises as they unfold. This is operating 24/7 from the eThekwini Disaster Management Centre.
"All our municipalities have been instructed to set district joint operation centres which will coordinate district-wide responses to crises as and when needed. These centres will be supervised by a provincial executive sub-committee on disasters. As part of these efforts, all municipalities have been directed to alert and, if and when necessary, evacuate communities from all flood-line areas and also from areas that are prone to mudslides and large-scale soil erosion," he said.
He said councillors in all wards as well as ward committees and CDWs have been asked to work with their local authorities in this regard, too.
According to the province’s protocols, ward councillors are the first port of call for communities in distress when disasters strike. Churches have likewise been requested to make their communal facilities available if needed to shelter communities in distress.
Hlomuka said Cogta has requested that officials from the Department of Transport ensure that major roads ar monitored.
"We are also asking schools to release pupils, especially those not writing exams, early and also to close schools for the duration of Friday as it is predicted that the inclement weather will intensify in KZN on Friday. We are also asking business leaders and employers to also release workers early and allow people to work from home rather than report at their workplaces in the interest of public safety. This, of course, cannot apply to workers rendering essential services," Hlomuka said.
Meanwhile, Storm Report SA has received several videos of an apparent tornado over the Bergville area.