| City storm damage [boodskap #116606] |
Wo, 12 Maart 2008 19:25 |
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Boodskappe: 590
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Dit was Durban, laas nag.
Bome is ontworte in die stad.
Weerligstrale het die lug onophoudelik ingekleur
en die lae wolke het die kleure van die stadsligte weerspieël.
Vir 'n tydperk was daar vir geen oomblik nie weerligstrale nie.
Chaos as rains cause floods and mudslides
March 12, 2008
Rivonia Naidu
After a night of lashing rain, lightning and thunder, Durban residents
this morning negotiated roads that were flooded, strewn with debris
and coped with mudslides and defective traffic lights.
The N2 near Durban International Airport was closed to light motor
vehicles after last night's storm.
Those travelling in light motor vehicles from Amanzimtoti into Durban
were diverted through Moss Kolnik drive, then Kingsway and through
Prospecton.
It was not clear when the road would be reopened.
While parts of Durban International Airport were flooded, management
said it was unlikely to affect flight schedules.
Motorists also had to negotiate a string of defective traffic lights
including the entire length of Edwin Swales Drive, the intersection of
Berea and Musgrave roads, West Street, Smith Street and Commercial
Road. Motorists travelling on the roads this morning were advised to
be aware of strewn refuse, mud, debris and missing manhole covers.
Deputy head of Metro Police Steve Middleton said it was likely the N2
would be opened by this afternoon.
He said eThekwini engineers were at the scene and Metro Police were
waiting for their findings.
Johann van Bargen, East Coast Radio's traffic reporter, said there
were concerns and complaints from people about numerous mudslides,
debris build-up, manhole covers missing, stones, sand and tree
branches scattered across roads, and potholes in many areas in the
province as a result of the severe thunderstorms.
He said by 7.30am at least 25 traffic lights were out of order in the
city.
Predicted
A forecaster at the Durban Weather Bureau said last night's rain was
heavier than anticipated.
"We had at least 100mm of rain at the airport and we will have rain
for the next two days."
The forecaster said light rain was predicted for the rest of the week,
with a strong south-easter expected this afternoon in Durban.
Sapa reported that overnight rains had flooded the Merebank area near
Clairwood Racecourse.
"The area near the racecourse was completely submerged. It was the
result of blocked drains," said Insp Deveneran Pillay, a resident.
"People were helping each other - breaking walls to get people out of
houses. The water levels were up to 1.8m. Cars were floating and
others were completely submerged," he said.
Firefighters said they worked throughout the night, assisting people
as they received several calls of flooding from Durban central and the
southern areas.
Divisional commander for Durban central Alfred Newman said in the
metro region alone they responded to more than 100 calls of motorists
being stuck in flooded roads.
ER24 spokesman Derek Banks said paramedics could not respond to any of
the cases they were called out to because of the bad weather.
"We couldn't reach people, so we couldn't carry out transfers or
assist people who were stuck in mud in their vehicles or those
involved in car accidents. The rain was just hectic and roads were
flooded," he said.
Banks said they received calls mostly from the areas of Durban such as
Pinetown, Isipingo and Chatsworth.
Netcare 911 area manager Kerry Staples said there had been a few
fender benders, but no serious accidents were reported.
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