LIMPOPO – The South African Weather Service (SAWS) says heavy rainfall is expected in several areas of the lowveld regions of Limpopo today and tomorrow as a severe tropical storm Filipo makes landfall and intensifies over the southern Mozambican coastline.

Areas such as Thohoyandou, Giyani, Hoedspruit and Phalaborwa will be affected with Level 4 warnings for disruptive rain issued by the SAWS for those areas.

While a Level 4 warning shows a low likelihood, it’s impact is significant with flooding of roads and settlements, among others.

The SAWS warns to stay indoors and off roads and to avoid crossing rivers and swollen streams where the water is above your ankles.

Filipo made landfall on Monday night on the Mozambican coast near Inhassoro, north of Vilankulos and intensified to a severe tropical storm associated with average winds between 89 to 118 km/h.

As a result, a high risk exists for weather-related damage from a combination of torrential rain, strong, damaging winds (with wind gusts well more than 100 km/h) as well as storm surge near the coastline for much of southern Mozambique.

Due to the intensity of the storm, the SAWS says there is a moderate to high risk of heavy rainfall occurring over the Lowveld regions of Limpopo on Tuesday and over the Lowveld of Mpumalanga on Wednesday.

Heavy rain with localised flooding is also expected in the Kruger National Park (KNP), the Kingdom of Eswatini and the extreme north-eastern KwaZuluNatal (KZN).

“The Olifants, Letaba, Sabie and Sand rivers as well as the Crocodile river in the extreme south of KNP are likely to be flowing very strongly, possibly in flood, from midweek onwards,” their statement reads.

The SAWS says heavy rain will cease abruptly by Thursday as the system leaves southern Africa and moves off into the southern Indian Ocean.