Just four months into 2025, and Durban in KwaZulu-Natal has received a huge volume of rainfall. According to TrafficSA, the city got rainfall of 45 mm overnight on Monday which means it has already surpassed its annual rainfall for the year already.
Durban's average annual rainfall is around 1,009 mm, according to the South African Weather Service (SAWS). This equates to approximately 69 mm of rain per month. Additionally, the months with the most rain are typically from December to March.
Prior to the recent rain, SAWS issued a level 4 weather warning for KZN, predicting significant rainfall that could lead to disruption across the province on Tuesday. The prediction forecast extensive rains starting at midnight and continuing through Wednesday, creating a significant danger to public safety and infrastructure.
"The persistent rainfall may result in the flooding of roads and settlements, poor driving conditions, damage to infrastructure, and the destruction of mud-based houses," SAWS cautioned.
EThekwini Municipality has recommended motorists to use extreme caution and keep a safe following distance when driving on wet roads.
With such a deluge, scientists are in the midst of creating an early warning system that can save countless lives from floods.
The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) has granted the ambitious project approximately R46,384,080 to develop this critical system, which will initially focus on the municipalities of eThekwini and Ugu.
Named the Warning system for Extreme Weather events, Awareness Technology for Healthcare, Equitable delivery, and Resilience (Weather), this innovative initiative is set to unfold over four years and, if successful, may see its application extended nationwide.
This collaborative endeavour brings together the expertise of the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), the University of the West of Scotland (UWS), the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, and the University of Portsmouth.
"In the Weather project, we are looking at an early warning system that will focus and predict rain and flooding. It will also detect disease symptoms outbreaks. Climate change is no longer a prediction ... It is something you are experiencing," said Professor David Ndzi of the University of Portsmouth.
IOL News