THE National Sea Rescue Institute has appealed to the public to be safety conscious, especially on the last day of the school holidays (September 30).

The warning comes after the South African Weather Service (SAWS) issued a Level 1 warning for disruptive rain along the coastal areas of KwaZulu-Natal, including the eThekwini Metro.

In a statement, Craig Lambinon, NSRI spokesperson, said the cold fronts forecast by SAWS have brought rough seas to our coastline.

“That coupled with the new moon spring tide, we are expecting rip currents to be stronger than normal today and sea conditions to be perilous in places. We are appealing to bathers, coastal hikers, beach strollers, paddlers, boaters and sailors to be extra cautious on this last day of the school vacation.

Also read: KZN network helps stranded marine animals

“Keep a watch and adhere to SAWS weather alerts and weather warnings. We are appealing to everyone to take this last day of the school vacation to have safety top of mind as you return from your holidays,” Lambinon said.

Meanwhile, the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (KZN COGTA) has also said Disaster Management teams are on standby across the coastal areas.

“While the weather warning indicates that the impact of the disruptive rain may be confined to low-lying areas, residents are advised to monitor weather updates, especially before undertaking long journeys,” the department said in a statement.

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