A WhatsApp message doing the rounds, saying heavy snowfalls are expected, is fake news.
This is according to Garth Sampson from the PE branch of the South African Weather Service, who dismissed the weather warning as false.
“Firstly, Disaster Management has not called an emergency
meeting. Secondly one would never get snow in South Africa in March. Thirdly forecasts and impact based advisories are issued by
the South African Weather Service and not the National Weather Service – there
is no such institution in South Africa,” Sampson said in a statement.
“Finally”, he added, “according to the Port Elizabeth forecast desk, SAWS
has not issued any such warning.”
Sampson said that it is a criminal offence to distribute false weather warnings and advisories. “Only SAWS is allowed to do that.
“We are expecting showers and thundershowers over the next
few days, but nothing near what is stated in the fake message,” he concluded.
The fake message reads as follows:
Disaster Management Services called all concerned services
to an Emergency meeting regarding weather predictions for the Weekend.
Warnings were issued for this coming weekend:
1. Light rain is forecast as from today Wednesday over the
entire Cacadu region which will further saturate the already saturated ground.
2. Minimum temperatures are to plummet to below freezing
point inland as from Thursday evening and Heavy Snow Falls are expected with
Road closures in all mountain passes in the region except for Olifantskop pass.
3. Heavy Rain (100%) is expected as from Thursday evening in
Storms River area to reach Port Elizabeth by Friday Noon and spread further
east as it progresses. An average of 100mm is expected from Friday Noon to
Saturday evening throughout the region of Cacadu. Due to the already saturated
groundwater flash flooding is expected in low laying areas. Roads are expected
to be water logged and special care be given to fast lanes were vehicles could
aquaplane.
4. These systems will also affect all outdoor activities in
the region such as the Biltong Festival in Somerset East and the VW Algoa Rally
being held in the Port Elizabeth, Uitenhage and surrounding areas.
The reason for this early warning from the SA National
Weather Services the similarity between the 2 HIGH pressure systems south of
the country and a developing LOW pressure system over the far Northern-Western
interior which is very similar to the systems of the 1968 floods in Port
Elizabeth and surrounding areas.
