Tropical Storm Eloise has hit South Africa’s Kruger National Park, flooding the area and other parts of Limpopo province where bridges have been washed away, several houses destroyed and vehicles swept away, weather experts said on Monday.
The flooding has forced Kruger National Park to shut down its Croc Bridge Gate due to overflowing rivers in the southern parts of the park after heavy downpours brought by the storm on Sunday night, the experts said.
The experts re-issued flood warnings first announced at the weekend as the storm continued on Monday to head for Mpumalanga and Gauteng provinces from Limpopo where Vhembe district is the most affected, leaving some roads impassable.
In the district, roads and bridges at Tshitavhadulu, Tshakhuma outside Thohoyandou areas, and between Tshedza and Vuvha villages, have also been damaged, the experts said.
In Mpumalanga, motorists were urged to drive carefully on the wet roads, where heavy rain accompanied by strong winds have uprooted trees, thereby blockading the road between White River and Sabie town.
Mpumalanga’s community safety, security and liaison spokesperson Moeti Mmusi warned motorists to be extravigilant on the roads, especially when crossing bridges which might have become softened up by the floods.
“They need to keep their headlights on, keep a safe driving distance, and reduce speed at the same time. They also need to be on the lookout for misty conditions on roads where trees have fallen and blocked across them,” Mmusi said.
Before hitting South Africa, the storm left some people dead and damaged infrastructure as well as crops in Mozambique.
South Africa’s two neighbours, Zimbabwe and eSwatini, also have not been spared from the wrath of Eloise’s heavy rainfall, according to the experts.
NM/jn/APA