Tropical Storm Filipo expected to cause disruptive weather in SA
Filipo made landfall late on Monday, 11 March, on the Mozambican coast near Inhassoro, north of Vilankulos, and intensified to a severe tropical storm.
Heavy rainfall, thundershowers, and damaging winds are expected in some of the country’s provinces. This is due to a Tropical Storm Filipo, currently in Mozambique channel.
Filipo made landfall late on Monday, 11 March, 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.
TROPICAL STORM FILIPO TO RESULT IN INCLEMENT WEATHER CONDITIONS
On Tuesday, 12 March, the South African Weather Service (SAWS) issued an orange level 6 warning for disruptive rainfall.
Areas likely to be affected include uMhlathuze, Big Five Hlabisa, Mtubatuba, Nongoma, Jozini, Phongolo, and Umhlabuyalingana Local Municipalities.
The weather service said a moderate tropical storm, Filipo, will result in widespread showers and thundershowers over KwaZulu-Natal. Significant rainfall amounts exceeding 100mm may cause considerable damage.
SAWS had earlier warned that the north-eastern extremity of KZN, especially the coast and adjacent interior northwards of Richards Bay, can expect sustained, heavy rainfall on Wednesday.
“The heavy rain will cease abruptly by Thursday as the system leaves southern Africa and moves off into the southern Indian Ocean, east of South Africa.”
WARNINGS ISSUED FOR MPUMALANGA
- A yellow level 4 warning for disruptive rainfall leading to flooding has been issued for Nkomazi Local Municipality in Mpumalanga.
- Another yellow level 2 warning for disruptive rainfall has been issued for areas over the Byshbyckridge and Mbombela local Municipalities in Mpumalanga.
- Lastly, SAWS also issued a yellow level 4 warning for damaging winds and waves between Richards Bay and Kosi Bay in KwaZulu-Natal.
POSSIBLE IMPACTS:
- Flooding of roads, bridges and settlements (formal and informal)
- Danger to life due to fast flowing streams and deep rivers
- Major disruption of traffic flow due to flooded roads
- Damage to mud-based houses
- Disruption to essential services including water, electricity and communication.
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