Rare snow falls across parts of Southern Africa by Steph Ball
Heavy rain and snow falls hit parts of the Eastern Cape this week, with new rainfall records being set and parts of the Gauteng region seeing the first snow fall for 25 years.
Farmers were completely unprepared for the snow falls, the first for 25 years seen across Carltonville and Westonaria, whilst the first in 12 years for Bloemfontein. Some were reported to have lost livestock as well as crops due to the very cold conditions and were later given an extreme weather warning by authorities. Parts of Matatiele and Mount Fletcher in the east were reportedly cut off by the rain and snow.
On Tuesday heavy rains caused fatalities across the Eastern Cape, with coastal areas hit worst, totting up over 150mm of rain in 24 hours. According to the South African weather service rainfall at Mthatha set a new record of 63.7mm, the previous being 57.3 on the 26th September 1987. Port Edward also set a new record of 133.2mm, the previous record being 83.2mm on the 22nd September 1993.
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