Schools could close in these areas on Wednesday due to bad weather
· Citizen
Severe weather conditions are expected across parts of South Africa this week and may result in flooding, mudslides and disruptions to roads and essential services.
Heavy rainfall is forecast for the Garden Route and Central Karoo regions of the Western Cape.
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Gerhard Otto, head of disaster management in the Garden Route District, has urged residents to take note of severe rainfall expected across parts of the Western Cape from 6 to 7 May.
“We did receive an early warning for a cut-off low that will reach the Western Cape tomorrow, and then it will spread mainly to the Garden Route, affecting municipalities like Oudtshoorn, Mossel Bay, George, Knysna and Plett,” said Otto.
Heavy rain and strong winds expected
He said around 50mm to 200mm of rain is expected between Tuesday and Wednesday, along with strong wind gusts.
“The warning is at a Level 8, so it’s quite a severe storm. We expect tomorrow around 30mm to 40mm, 50mm of rain.”
Otto said the bulk of the rain is expected to fall on Wednesday, between 100mm and 200mm.
“We are also expecting wind gusts of 79km to 80km/h and, in addition to that, wave heights of between 5m and 8m.”
Potential Garden Route school closure
A meeting has been arranged with the Department of Education on Tuesday, 5 May at 9am to discuss safety measures for scholars and “consider [closing] schools along the Garden Route for Wednesday.”
Otto added that an early warning was also issued to local municipalities to ensure safe conditions for residents in affected communities.
“So, it’s quite a severe storm that’s going to affect most of the municipalities in the Garden Route, and we’ve requested all role players to be on high alert. “
Residents are encouraged to remain vigilant, avoid unnecessary travel and never attempt to cross flooded roads or rivers.