Floods, havoc as month’s worth of rain falls in one day, Gauteng Province, South Africa
A severe storm hit Gauteng Province, South Africa on March 22, 2018, bringing heavy rain and strong winds, downing trees and causing traffic problems. Parts of the region recorded more than a month’s worth of rain in 24 hours. The worst hit were surrounding areas of Johannesburg and Pretoria where major flooding was reported.
Heavy rain caused Hennops river to overflow, flooding areas in Centurion, southwest Pretoria.
A sinkhole appeared on Route M24 cutting the road and swallowing a car. Emergency services issued a warning for motorists to avoid the area. Severe flooding was reported on Leeuwkop and Rivonia roads, Witkoppen Road and Fourways Boulevard on Thursday night, which continued into Friday morning.
Some homes in northern Johannesburg were evacuated according to local media reports. The City of Johannesburg Emergency Management Services were responding to the flooding incidents and said no injuries or fatalities have been reported.
On Friday, March 23, evacuations, closed roads and road accidents kept emergency personnel busy. In Pretoria, a road collapsed near the Laudium area while in Johannesburg, a number of accidents were reported. Emergency services remain on high alert through the weekend as more rain is expected to fall in Gauteng area.
Local emergency medical services also warned those living in low-lying areas to monitor the water levels and to move to higher ground if necessary.
According to South Africa Weather Service, Pretoria recorded 145 mm (5.7 inches) of rain and Johannesburg 117 mm (4.6 inches) on March 23. The average monthly rainfall for March in Johannesburg is about 90 mm (3.5 inches).
Featured image: Christa Eybers / EWN
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