Johannesburg -
Heavy rainfall during the first 10 days of March has broken records in parts of the country, the SA weather service said on Thursday.
“The north-eastern half of the country has experienced more than 100 percent of what is normally expected for the first 10 days of March,” climate information unit manager Elsa de Jager said in a statement.
“Furthermore Gauteng, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, as well as parts of North-West, the Free State, and KwaZulu-Natal experienced more than 200 percent of what is normally expected...”
Twelve towns in Limpopo, Mpumalanga, and Gauteng experienced the heaviest rain in ten or more years.
In Limpopo: Hoedspruit, Lephalale, Marken, Pontdrift, Thabazimbi, and Thohoyandou's rain levels were last topped in 1996, 2000, and 2004.
The lowest rainfall was 10.6cm and the highest was 19.2cm.
In Mpumalanga: Belfast, Komatidraai, Nelspruit, and Witbank's recent rain levels were surpassed only in 1996, 1997, and 2006.
The lowest rainfall was 15cm and the highest 30.3cm.
In Gauteng, Pretoria Eendracht and Irene experienced the heaviest rain in 17 years.
The lowest rainfall was 18cm and the highest 19cm.
The amount of water was measured in a one-by-one-metre-square box, De Jager said. - Sapa