More disruptive rain expected along Eastern Cape coast

Heavy downpours are expected in Buffalo City and coastal surrounds on Wednesday and Thursday when a low-pressure cell is expected to be cut off in the upper atmosphere by a ridging high-pressure system. An orange level 5 warning — a “medium” likelihood of “significant impact” — has been issued by the SA Weather Service. The system will bring snow and very cold air to the high ground and coast.

There could be flooding, displacement from homes in settlements, mudslides, rockfalls and major road closures. The public were urged to stay at home, and not to attempt to cross flooding streams and rivers. All properties bearing the brunt of the storm — mud brick homes, shacks and formal homes — were at risk of damage.

Municipalities expected to be hit by this mid-latitude storm are Buffalo City, Great Kei, Makana, Ndlambe, Raymond Mhlaba, Nelson Mandela Bay, Ngqushwa, Amahlati, Kouga, Koukamma and Sundays River Valley. This cut-off low is the third in recent weeks to hit the Western and Eastern Cape, plus two big cold fronts. They evoked an orange level 8 warning.

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Earlier this year, the weather service warned that extreme weather in SA was being amplified by climate change. Click here to join the Daily Dispatch’s WhatsApp channel and get the latest news delivered straight to your phone

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