🇿🇦South AfricaSouthern Africa
South African municipalities urged to prepare for severe weather and flooding
via The Citizen12 min read
The South African Local Government Association Salga has called on municipalities and communities nationwide to enhance preparedness for anticipated severe weather conditions. These conditions are expected to bring cold, wet, and windy weather, along with significant rainfall accumulations of 100 to 200 millimeters, widespread flooding, damaging winds, severe thunderstorms, and snowfall in high-lying areas. Dangerous coastal wave conditions are also forecast. Coastal regions and surrounding areas, particularly in the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Free State, Northwest, and parts of the Northern Cape, are identified as high-risk zones. The potential impacts include flooded roads and settlements, damage to infrastructure, power outages, essential service disruptions, hazardous driving conditions, road closures, coastal damage, and risks to livestock. Salga advises municipalities to place relevant departments on high alert, activate Disaster Management Centres for monitoring and coordination, and ensure Fire, Rescue, and Emergency Services are ready. Infrastructure and Technical Services should clear stormwater drains and prepare rapid-response teams, while Human Settlements and Community Services identify vulnerable communities and prepare temporary shelters. Traffic and law enforcement are to monitor high-risk routes and manage road closures. Municipal Communications Units are tasked with sharing verified warnings from the South African Weather Service and safety messages. The p
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