Boipelo Mere
The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has downgraded its weather alert for Kimberley to a Yellow Level 2 warning, following Sunday’s severe Orange Level 6 storms that left a trail of destruction across the Northern Cape.
This comes after violent storms wreaked havoc on local infrastructure, triggering power outages that lasted up to 48 hours in parts of the Sol Plaatje Municipality after six electrical substations were severely compromised.
According to SAWS, three major districts—Frances Baard, Pixley ka Seme, and ZF Mgcawu—bore the brunt of the widespread damage.
Multiple roads were temporarily closed due to flooding and debris, which effectively cut off at least two villages near Kuruman and created hazardous driving conditions across the province. Heavy rainstorms and localized flooding were also reported in the Phokwane Municipality.
In Kimberley, the Sol Plaatje Municipality confirmed that near gale-force winds and heavy hail uprooted trees, damaged properties, and ripped the roofs off at least eight homes.
Utility teams have been working around the clock to repair the grid. By Sunday evening, the municipality announced it had successfully restored electricity to 90% of the affected areas.
The remaining outages are isolated, single-customer complaints, which officials assured residents would be prioritised first thing this morning as technical teams continue to resolve the outstanding faults.
For the remainder of the day, SAWS predicts cooler conditions for Kimberley, with temperatures ranging between 13°C and 20°C and an 80% chance of continued rainfall.
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