Johannesburg - The City of Johannesburg’s Emergency Management Services said they were on high alert following a warning by the South African Weather Service that heavy rain leading to localised flooding is expected in Gauteng, among other provinces, on Thursday continuing to Friday.
"The City of Johannesburg Emergency Management Services will remain on high alert to make sure that we can be able to effectively respond to any emergency which might occur throughout the City of Johannesburg," said EMS spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi.
The heavy rains are expected across five provinces bringing with them the risk of flash floods.
Mulaudzi said management monitoring teams have been dispatched to seven regions around Johannesburg to monitor any eventuality and also to facilitate any evacuation procedures if needed.
"We want to urged our residents in the low lying areas to monitor the water levels and move to the higher ground when there is a need to do so," he said.
The South African Weather Service said more than 50mm of rain is expected to fall in some areas.
“Heavy rain leading to localised flooding is expected in the eastern parts of the Free State‚ in places in North-West‚ Gauteng‚ Highveld areas of Mpumalanga and in places in Kwa-Zulu Natal," said the weather service.
The weather service warned that the rain is expected to persist in Gauteng‚ the western parts of Mpumalanga‚ eastern parts of North West as well as the eastern parts of the Free State on Friday.