KZN, Limpopo and Mpumalanga on high alert as tropical storm Filipo makes landfall

Communities in Kwa Zulu-Natal, Limpopo and Mpumalanga have been warned to be extra vigilant as tropical storm Filipo makes landfall.

Disruptive rainfall is expected in KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga on Wednesday, as Filipo already caused damage to buildings in the southern parts of Mozambique.

According to the South African Weather Service (Saws) updates, Filipo will clear up later this week.

High alert

Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), Thembi Nkadimeng, has directed the National Disaster Management Center (NDMC) to work with all stakeholders to ensure the safety of communities who might be impacted by the tropical storm.

“The National Joint Floods Coordination Committee (NJFCC) was convened with the primary objective of receiving updated weather reports from the South African Weather Service (SAWS) to enable and support the provinces that are at risk in the activation of preparedness and response measures.

“There are possibilities of heavy rains accompanied by storms and flooding in some areas. The contingency arrangements have been activated at the national and provincial and local spheres. All structures and stakeholders will remain on high alert to support the three provinces at risk,” Nkadimeng said.

Nkadimeng urged communities in low-lying and high-risk areas to be extra cautious and work with the relevant authorities on the ground.

“The communities are urged to be vigilant and avoid driving and walking through flooded roads and bridges. Communities are urged to follow announcements through various media channels and platforms.”

ALSO READ: Tropical storm Filipo to miss most of SA, rainfall possible

Bulk rain

Meanwhile, Saws forecaster Kevin Rae said the bulk of the rain of Filipo will remain in southern Mozambique.

“For South Africa in particular, various sources of deterministic numerical weather prediction modelling have provided high confidence guidance to suggest that the bulk of the heavy rain, at least for today and tomorrow, will remain constrained to southern Mozambique.”

Rae said there is a moderate to high risk of heavy rainfall occurring over the lowveld regions of Limpopo and over the lowveld of Mpumalanga on Wednesday.

“For Mpumalanga especially, there is a risk of orographically enhanced rainfall along the eastern escarpment region, when heavy rain and localised flooding may occur over the southern lowveld, including the Kruger National Park, eSwatini as well as extreme northeastern KwaZulu-Natal.”

Rae said the major rivers of the central and southern half of the Kruger National Park (KNP), such as the Olifants, Letaba, Sabie and Sand Rivers, as well as the Crocodile River in the extreme south of KNP, were likely to be flowing very strongly, possibly in flood, from midweek onwards.

Additional reporting by Marizka Coetzer

ALSO READ: Weather warning: Flooding, damage to homes expected in SA as tropical storm Filipo hits Mozambique