Large areas of north-eastern South Africa and neighbouring Mozambique have been inundated for several days due to exceptionally heavy rainfall. The deluge, driven by a slow-moving cut-off low pressure system, has triggered intense downpours, leading to a flood warning being raised to the highest level.

Some locations in South Africa recorded hundreds of millimetres of rain over the weekend. Graskop in Mpumalanga experienced 113mm of rainfall in 24 hours, while Phalaborwa recorded approximately 85mm. The rain has continued to fall across the region since the weekend, exacerbating the already critical situation. A photograph showed a fallen tree blocking a road in Giyani, north-eastern South Africa, illustrating the disruptive impact of the extreme weather.

The cut-off low pressure system, anchored over the region, repeatedly drew in moisture, resulting in the persistent and intense rainfall. According to weather forecasts, further heavy rainfall is expected on Friday and over the weekend. Maputo, Mozambique's capital, could expect daily rainfall totals to exceed 200mm by the end of Friday.

The extreme rainfall has washed away roads and forced the evacuation of Kruger National Park. The inundation highlights the vulnerability of infrastructure and communities to extreme weather events, a growing concern in the face of climate change. The situation underscores the need for improved early warning systems and disaster preparedness measures to mitigate the impact of such events.