Storm Eloise: Disaster management in Limpopo, Mpumalanga & KZN on high alert
The category 2 cyclone is expected to hit parts of South Africa bringing, with it heavy rain and possible flooding.
JOHANNESBURG - Disaster management teams in Limpopo, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) are on alert as tropical cyclone Eloise approaches.
Eloise has made landfall in the coastal town of Beira in Mozambique.
The category 2 cyclone is expected to hit parts of South Africa bringing, with it heavy rain and possible flooding.
The cyclone started as a tropical storm in Madagascar and has continued to grow.
🌀Have a look at the damages in Beira this morning due to #Eloise #CycloneEloise https://t.co/tE5b7It6Et
— SA Weather Service (@SAWeatherServic) January 23, 2021
It is now identified as a category 2 cyclone after making landfall in Mozambique.
Eloise is forecast to churn its way inland to southern Zimbabwe, eastern South Africa and far eastern Botswana.
While it will lose strength as it moves across land, authorities in Mpumalanga, KNZ and Limpopo are intensifying their efforts to mitigate any possible destruction.
Photos coming out of Mozambique (source: Gauteng Weather FB). #tropicalcycloneeloise #Eloise pic.twitter.com/u9o8SpoXOn
— SA Weather Service (@SAWeatherServic) January 23, 2021
KZN officials on Saturday called a meeting to formalize a plan of action.
Mpumalanga Cogta MEC Mandla Msibi appealed for calm but asked residents to stay vigilant.
“We have advised the communities on the side line to move from the side lines because we don’t know how extensive the cyclone will be.”
While Limpopo disaster management teams will be monitoring areas that are prone flooding MEC Basikopo Makamu explained, “We’ve already started to activate our disaster management centres.”
The South African Weather Service issued an alert level nine for Mpumalanga and Limpopo, warning of possible disruptive rain as well as damage to infrastructure including housing, roads and bridges.
Download the Eyewitness News app to your iOS or Android device.
