Calm seemed to have returned to Durban on Monday after both a wet and wild weekend as tropical storm Irina passed near the coastal city on Sunday.
Around Durban’s city centre, several parts of the N2 and arterial roads were flooded on Sunday afternoon, leaving stalled cars and dangerous tyre spray in its wake.
On the M4 Ruth First Highway, a light delivery van overturned on the northbound carriageway near Riverside, while on the N3 a car landed on its roof near the Sherwood offramp. No critical injuries were reported in either accident.
Along the N2 near Isipingo, south of Durban and close to where the old airport was located, the freeway was temporarily closed after severe flooding made driving on the road a risk.
Unrelenting rain pelted the area for more than 12 hours, leaving Durban with approximately 135mm of rain, weather officials said.
Parts of the beachfront area incurred the same fate as the inner city roads on Sunday, as continous rain and strong gusts of wind battered the shoreline.
Four men that were reported missing in flooded rivers in northern KZN, were found by Sunday night.
Meanwhile, The Mercury newspaper reported on Monday that Irina had been downgraded to a tropical storm.
The newspaper quoted police and disaster services warning on Sunday night, that although Irina had been downgraded, it still remained a threat to Kwa-Zulu Natal's coastal areas, particular up north along the Richards Bay vicinity.
The weather system was likely to remain over open water between Maputo and Richards Bay for the next 24 hours, the National Joint Operational Centre told The Mercury.
For Monday, weather service official predicted gale-force south-westerly winds with a warning of very rough seas with waves up to 6m. - IOL and The Mercury
* If you have pictures of storm damage from topical storm Irina, send an e-mail to [email protected].
E-mail Benita: [email protected]