{"id":56744,"date":"2026-04-21T02:12:11","date_gmt":"2026-04-21T02:12:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/?p=56744"},"modified":"2026-04-21T02:12:11","modified_gmt":"2026-04-21T02:12:11","slug":"johannesburg-ems-issues-urgent-safety-alert-severe-storms-threaten-gauteng","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/2026\/04\/21\/johannesburg-ems-issues-urgent-safety-alert-severe-storms-threaten-gauteng\/","title":{"rendered":"Johannesburg EMS issues urgent safety alert as severe storms threaten Gauteng"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script data-jetpack-boost=\"ignore\" async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-1669381584671856\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<!-- Africa tv video display -->\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-1669381584671856\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"3579572842\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"auto\"\r\n     data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\r\n<script data-jetpack-boost=\"ignore\">\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<p><h2>Motorists must exercise caution due to slippery roads and reduced visibility. <\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>The City of Johannesburg Emergency Management Services (EMS) has sounded the alarm ahead of severe weather expected to lash Gauteng on Tuesday, 21 April 2026.<\/p>\n<p>The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has issued a yellow level 4 warning for severe thunderstorms, cautioning residents about \u201cstrong, damaging winds; hail; excessive lightning; and possible heavy downpours that could lead to flooding and damage to susceptible formal\/informal settlements and infrastructure.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In addition, a yellow level 2 warning has been issued for southern Gauteng, where localised flooding of roads, low\u2011lying areas, and bridges is anticipated, along with potential damage to informal settlements.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-forecast\">Forecast<\/h2>\n<p>Residents of Gauteng can expect cloudy, warm weather with scattered showers and thundershowers, with widespread thundershowers in the northern parts.<\/p>\n<p>The region\u2019s expected UVB sunburn index is \u201chigh\u201d. Residents should take the necessary precautions against prolonged sun exposure.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-precautions\">Precautions<\/h3>\n<p>EMS spokesperson Kagiso Pasha confirmed that authorities are closely monitoring the situation.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe forecast indicates that the storms may be accompanied by heavy rainfall, strong winds, excessive lightning, and possible localized flooding. These conditions may result in flooding of low\u2011lying areas, fallen trees, infrastructure damage, and disruptions to traffic,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-precautionary-measures-urged\">Precautionary Measures Urged:<\/h4>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Avoid crossing flooded roads or bridges<\/li>\n<li>Stay indoors during thunderstorms and avoid open areas<\/li>\n<li>Unplug electrical appliances to prevent lightning damage<\/li>\n<li>Steer clear of fallen power lines and report hazards immediately<\/li>\n<li>Motorists must exercise caution due to slippery roads and reduced visibility<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-alert\">Alert<\/h3>\n<p>Pasha further advised communities in flood\u2011prone areas to remain alert and prepared to move to safer locations if necessary.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe City\u2019s Command and Control Centre remains on high alert to respond to any emergencies. For emergencies, residents can contact the City of Johannesburg EMS on 011 375 5911.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-emergencies\">Emergencies <\/h3>\n<p>The EMS has urged all residents to remain cautious, prioritise safety, and heed official warnings as Gauteng braces for potentially destructive storms.<\/p>\n<p>With damaging winds, hail, and flooding on the horizon, authorities stress that vigilance and preparedness are key to minimising risk.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div>\n<h3>Support Local Journalism<\/h3>\n<p>Add The Citizen as a Preferred Source on Google and follow us on Google News to see more of our trusted reporting in Google News and Top Stories.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script data-jetpack-boost=\"ignore\" async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-1669381584671856\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<!-- Africa tv video display -->\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-1669381584671856\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"3579572842\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"auto\"\r\n     data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\r\n<script data-jetpack-boost=\"ignore\">\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script><br \/>\n#Johannesburg #EMS #issues #urgent #safety #alert #severe #storms #threaten #Gauteng<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Motorists must exercise caution due to slippery roads and reduced visibility. The City of Johannesburg Emergency Management Services (EMS) has&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":56745,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-56744","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mzansi"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56744","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=56744"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56744\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":56746,"href":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56744\/revisions\/56746"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/56745"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=56744"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=56744"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eduzim.co.zw\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=56744"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}