16/09/2026
๐จ ๐๐ง๐๐๐๐ช๐๐ก๐ ๐ฃ๐๐๐๐๐ฆ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ก๐๐ฌ ๐ง๐๐๐ ๐ฆ ๐ข๐ก ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ง ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ข๐ ๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฆ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฃ๐ง๐๐ฉ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐๐ก ๐ช๐๐ฅ๐ก๐๐ก๐ ๐จ
โ ๏ธ ๐๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ด๐ฒ๐ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ผ๐ป ๐ณ๐น๐ผ๐ผ๐ฑ-๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐น๐ผ๐-๐น๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ ๐ฎ๐ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ถ๐ป ๐ถ๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ง๐ต๐๐ฟ๐๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐.
๐
๐ญ๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ฝ๐๐ฒ๐บ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฒ
The eThekwini Municipality has activated its Disaster Management Centre and placed Fire and Emergency Services, alongside all key Municipal frontline units, on high alert following a Level 6 Impact-Based Warning for disruptive rainfall issued by the South African Weather Service (SAWS).
๐๏ธ ๐ช๐๐ฅ๐ก๐๐ก๐ ๐ฃ๐๐ฅ๐๐ข๐
00:00 on Thursday, 17 September, until 23:59 on Friday, 18 September 2026.
The warning covers the eThekwini metro and surrounding municipalities across southern KwaZulu-Natal.
๐ง๏ธ ๐ช๐๐๐ง ๐ง๐ข ๐๐ซ๐ฃ๐๐๐ง
The severe weather is being driven by a combination of a strong ridging high-pressure system, a coastal low-pressure system, and a cut-off low over the interior. Together, these systems are expected to bring widespread, heavy rainfall to the region over the two-day period.
The South African Weather Service warns that heavy downpours may lead to:
๐ด Flooding of roads, low-lying bridges, and residential areas, including informal settlements.
๐ด Fast-flowing streams and deep-water hazards that pose a threat to life.
๐ด Localised damage to property, municipal infrastructure, and livestock.
๐ด Temporary disruption of essential services and access to isolated communities.
๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ก๐๐ฌ ๐ง๐๐๐ ๐ฆ ๐ข๐ก ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ง
The Municipality reassures residents that operational teams, including Fire, Disaster Management and Metro Police Directorates, are fully mobilised.
Municipal crews will continuously monitor high-risk zones, waterways, and infrastructure historically vulnerable to flooding.
Emergency response teams are stationed across the city for rapid deployment should localised incidents occur.
โ ๏ธ ๐ฆ๐๐๐๐ง๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐๐๐๐ก๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ฅ ๐ฅ๐๐ฆ๐๐๐๐ก๐ง๐ฆ
Residents are asked to remain calm, stay off the roads where possible, and strictly adhere to the following safety precautions:
๐ง ๐๐๐ผ๐ถ๐ฑ ๐๐ถ๐ด๐ต-๐ฅ๐ถ๐๐ธ ๐ฅ๐ผ๐๐๐ฒ๐: Do not travel through low-lying roads or across bridges prone to flooding.
๐ ๐ก๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐ฎ๐๐-๐๐น๐ผ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ช๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ: Avoid crossing flooded rivers, streams, or swollen drainage channels, either on foot or in a vehicle. Just a few centimetres of moving water can sweep a vehicle away.
๐ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐น๐: Residents in low-lying or informal settlements should pre-identify higher ground and safe evacuation routes.
๐ ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐: Tie down or store loose outdoor structures and debris that could be swept away by wind or runoff.
๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐๐
๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป: Motorists must turn on headlights, increase following distances, significantly reduce speed, and avoid non-essential travel during peak rainfall.
๐ข ๐ฆ๐๐ฎ๐ ๐จ๐ฝ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ: Follow official eThekwini Municipality channels for verified updates.
๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ก๐๐ฌ ๐๐ข๐ก๐ง๐๐๐ง
To report life-threatening emergencies or municipal infrastructure damage, contact the Cityโs Central Call Centre:
๐จ ๐๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฎ๐ด๐ฒ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ & ๐๐บ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ด๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐: ๐ฌ๐ฏ๐ญ ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ญ ๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ฌ
Issued by the eThekwini Municipalityโs Marketing and Communications Directorate.
