‘Difficult’ to pinpoint reason for frequent KZN flooding
Multiple weather warnings have been issued for KwaZulu-Natal from Thursday afternoon into Friday.
A yellow level 4 warning has been issued for most parts of the province, with the South African Weather Service saying heavy downpours, hail, damaging winds, and severe lightning are expected.
In the southeastern parts of KZN, an orange level 6 alert has been issued for heavy downpours that could flood roads and settlements, damage infrastructure, and cause mudslides.
The province is still reeling from recent weather events which have claimed the lives of over 20 people and flood damage costs running into the millions.
SAWS forecaster Nhlanhla Sithole says it's difficult to pinpoint the reason behind the recurring flooding in KZN.
"That's a difficult question to answer. I know you want a straightforward answer, but it could be either climate change or climate variability. I think this is not a new thing. We've had cases of flooding even way before 2022, as old as in the 18th century, actually.
READ: KZN on high alert as storm warning issued
"So that would be as a result of climate variability, but at the same time, we can't deny that climate change is taking place as well, and the frequency of these incidences is quite high as of late, so, like, I'm saying, there's no answer that's cast in stone that for sure this is what's happening. The answer could be in both climate variability as well as climate change."
He identified areas in the province that are prone to flooding.
"Looking at the occurrences in the past couple of years, I would say places like Ladysmith. No significant amount is required for the town to be flooded, and I'd also say the coastal areas are also not good.
"I think there are many precursors that lead to these areas being flooded. It could be either topography or the fact that the type of soil we have here is different from the soil that is over the interior. The coastal areas are prone to sandy, loamy soils that easily are prone to, if I could say, landslides.
"All of that rainfall that happens up north ends up coming down here as well. And if the storms also are persistent over the coastal areas, all of that rainfall leads up to the coast."
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