Two people risked their lives by wading in waist-deep water outside the O.R.Tambo International Airport. This was an access ramp to a parking area. This past weekend, OR Tambo International Airport, South Africa’s busiest airport, experienced a drama as heavy thunderstorms unleashed a deluge, partially flooding its Domestic Terminal B.
Travellers witnessed the intensity of the weather as cascading water invaded the terminals, resulting in chaos and delays. A specialist contractor was assessing the roof structure of the O.R. Tambo International Airport in Ekurhuleni after flash floods overwhelmed the drainage systems on Friday.
Airport operations remain unaffected, and no flight delays were reported. Concerns grew about the damage to the airport after a video circulated widely of two people wading in chest-high water outside the airport’s vehicle entrances. Airports Company of South Africa (ACSA) spokesperson,Ofentse Dijoe, explained that the airport vicinity experienced a localised cloudburst on Friday, resulting in intense rainfall and flash flooding.
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This led to temporary waterlogging on the airport access road (off the R24), leading to the multi-storey parkade. “Due to the severity of the downpour, access to the terminal was briefly restricted, but it did not impact any airport operations.”
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