Johannesburg emergency services advised Gauteng residents on Tuesday to report any flash flooding to a dedicated task team, following a warning of possible flooding.
“We need the community to be our eyes and ears and report areas where flash flooding might be a problem,” spokesman Percy Morokane said on Tuesday.
“Flash floods can occur anywhere…it’s like a tiger taking his prey…looking for a vulnerable victim.”
Morokane said that a dedicated task team would be doing a continuous assessment of low-lying and flood prone areas as well as all major river systems and residential areas in flood lines.
Any rainfall lasting between an hour and six hours raised the potential for flash floods and both motorists and pedestrians needed to be alert to avoid incidents, he said.
“We encourage the public to listen to weather reports in the media to be able to plan their travel routes accordingly.”
Morokane also warned pedestrians to steer clear of trees during rainy weather.
“People seem to hide under trees when there is lightning and this is suicide,” he said. They were encouraged to rather take shelter in buildings.
Morokane also warned parents with young children to ensure that they were not left to walk home alone from school in bad weather conditions.
“All households need to have an emergency plan to ensure the safety of family members, especially children and the elderly.”
He added that pets were also vulnerable during bad weather and encouraged owners to ensure their safety.
A joint operation centre and dedicated number had been set up on Tuesday to deal with floods and any other potential disaster in the city.
The main focus point for potential flash floods was Alexandra township, north of Johannesburg.
In the south, the areas of Orange Farm and Soweto would be monitored. This included areas lying along Klip River, like Dube, Mofolo and Dobsonville.
Moving north, Kya Sands, Diepsloot, some parts of Midrand and areas around the Little Jukskei river would be monitored.
Irene and other areas near Kaal River were included.
Morokane said the flash flood guidance system of the SA Weather Service, which came into effect at the beginning of October, would guide the team.
“Our primary objective is to warn people timeously. We want to warn the public about impending adverse weather conditions so people can prepare and implement an evacuation plan,” he said.
They could call the dedicated line on 011-375-6009 or 10177 as an alternative.
[SAPA]
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