Areas at the highest risk of flooding have been prioritised for monitoring and proactive maintenance
The Johannesburg Road Agency (JRA) has warned city residents to brace for bad weather, including flooding in several areas.
Rain dampened the mood in Gauteng this week, and more is expected in the coming weeks.
As the rainy season continues, the JRA said it had activated a detailed Flood Management Plan to “flood-proof” key transport links and ensure public safety.
“Critical preventative steps are already in place, including the proactive maintenance of kerb inlets, the identification of flooding hot spots, and ensuring the functionality of culverts, subsoil drains, and other major flooding contributors,” it said this week.
Because the city is so diverse, so are its challenges. This meant that the plan for each area had to be tailored for the communities it serves.
“Areas at the highest risk of flooding have been prioritised so that, if closed, they would cause the most significant travel delays for commuters or where the worst economic impact has been identified and prioritised for proactive maintenance.
“In the event of severe weather, regional standby teams are in place to monitor and respond to flooded areas, prioritising hazards based on their severity and the immediate availability of resources.”
Measures put in place
The following measures have been put in place by the city:
- Each region has been allocated a dedicated standby team ready to assist with rapid road clearing and debris removal.
- Teams are actively cleaning blocked kerb inlets to ensure maximum water runoff.
- Field Services teams are assisting with skoffeling and cleaning kerb inlets to improve water flow into the road gutter network.
- Regional teams will undertake desilting (the removal of suspended silt) and clear rubble from bridges, in strict adherence to environmental law requirements.
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Flooding hotspots
It warned motorists of the following flooding hotspots:
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