The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has issued a weather alert, advising citizens to exercise caution due to severe weather conditions. Residents in the Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, and Eastern Cape are particularly advised to:
- Monitor SAWS updates regularly
- Dress warmly
- Stay indoors
- Avoid crossing rivers
- Avoid driving in snow and on flood-affected roads
Take necessary precautions to ensure safety.
SAFETY TIPS:
• The public is advised to take precautions when there is a drop in the temperature.
• Dress warmly if venturing outside, and in cases of extremely cold weather, cover your mouth to protect your lungs from cold air.
• Avoid crossing rivers as heavy rainfall contributes to smaller rivers and low-lying areas filling up quickly, leaving dangerous conditions across parts of an affected area.
• If caught in a heavy storm, find shelter.
• During thunderstorms avoid being near or under the trees or being near high-rising objects that might be struck by lightning.
• Avoid driving during heavy downpours and or misty conditions as visibility gets very limited, affecting ability to see other vehicles on the road and pedestrians.
• If found driving during heavy rains or storms, keep a longer than normal following distance and ensure that the driving speed is reduced.
• Drive a road roadworthy vehicle and ensure car condition like brakes, wipers etc are properly checked before leaving destination. Only trust weather warnings from verified sources like South African Weather Service, Government platforms etc and do not distribute unverified warnings that might be circulating on social media channels.
These warnings cause unnecessary panic and may cause further harm. The South African Weather Services provides regular updates via mainstream media and social media (“X” and Facebook).
