Strays of tropical Cyclone Eloise were felt in many parts of northeastern South Africa, with places like Lydenburg feeling the brunt of heavy rainfall over the weekend.
Cyclone Eloise leaves trail of destruction
The cyclone made landfall in Beira, Mozambique, with great ferocity, despite being downgraded to a depression by the South African Weather Service (SAWS), on Sunday.
Thousands of Beira residents were left displaced, their homes washed away in heavy floods. Thus far, no deaths have been confirmed.
Lydenburg homes and roads flooded
In South Africa, similar scenes were observed in provinces like KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), Limpopo and Mpumalanga. In Lydenburg, a town in Thaba Chweu Local Municipality, locals woke up to flooded homes and roads blocked by a river of rain.
A video showing the results of CYCLONE ELOISE in Lydenberg (South Africa) as many said
— Catchvibe Moatshe (@IamCatchvibe) January 24, 2021
Part 1 pic.twitter.com/bBHfp0Tmgf
— RIOT & ATTACK info South Africa (@RiotAndAttackSA) January 24, 2021
Weather forecast for Monday 25 January 2021
SAWS, in a statement released on Monday, warned that the overland depression would remain over the northeastern parts of South Africa, affecting the provinces listed above.
#ExEloise (an overland depression) situated along the Limpopo and Botswana border. Its cloudy, windy and rainy over Limpopo, Gauteng, Mpumalanga, KZN and eastern North West province. #Eloise Heavy and/or persistent rain will result in flooding in northern KZN, eastern MP, SW LMP pic.twitter.com/qar4NGg1XB
— SA Weather Service (@SAWeatherServic) January 25, 2021
Here is a forecast for Lydenburg, Mpumalanga weather on Monday 25 January 2021 taken from Ventusky.
The morning will likely see harsh rains falling at an average of 15.4mm, at minimum temperatures of 17 degrees Celcius. Therefore, motorists are warned to practice extreme caution on the roads.
Things are expected to calm with light-to-no showers from 20:00. However, light rainfall is expected to continue at an average of 0.4mm throughout Tuesday 26 January 2021.