Johannesburg: The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality's Disaster Management Centre has fully activated the Joint Operations Centre (JOC) as severe weather conditions and flooding continue to impact various parts of the metro. 'Teams are actively monitoring the impact of the heavy rains, including damage to infrastructure, affected communities, and disruptions to daily services. Particular attention is being given to roads that have been flooded or closed, with real-time updates informing response and recovery operations,' the Eastern Cape municipality said on Wednesday.

According to South African Government News Agency, a multi-disciplinary meeting has been convened with all relevant emergency and essential service departments to assess the situation on the ground, coordinate response efforts, and prioritize areas most affected by flooding. The municipality has urged residents to remain cautious, avoid flooded roads and low-lying areas, and adhere to all safety advisories issued by authorities.

'Emergency services remain on high alert and are attending to incidents as they arise. Further updates will be communicated as the situation develops,' the municipality stated. Meanwhile, the South African Weather Service (SAWS) on Wednesday said that weather conditions are expected to begin clearing from the central parts of the country this afternoon.

In an update, the weather service said weather conditions will begin clearing across Gauteng, North West and the Free State.