Unusually heavy snowfall caused significant disruptions on South Africa’s roads on Saturday, leaving many people stranded in their vehicles overnight.
According to officials, the N3 highway, which connects Johannesburg to Durban, was particularly hard hit, with several sections closed and detours rendered impassable.
Emergency services were actively working to reach those trapped in their cars, but the extent of the situation and the condition of those affected remained unclear, said Thania Dhoogra, operations manager for N3 Toll Concession, in an interview with ENCA.
“Emergency services have been working flat out through the night to assist as many road users as possible,” Dhoogra stated.
The KwaZulu-Natal provincial government reported that blankets and meals had been distributed to some stranded motorists by midday.
According to Simon Zwane, communications officer for the Road Traffic Management Corporation, trucks had been parked along the roadside since Friday, and buses traveling between provinces had been stuck at petrol stations for about seven hours.
Motorist Muhammad Goolam shared his experience with Newzroom Afrika, explaining that he and his children spent the night in their car outside Harrismith, roughly 270 kilometers (170 miles) southeast of Johannesburg.
“After over 13 hours with food supplies running low, I don’t see us getting out of here without help from emergency personnel,” he said.
Some areas experienced up to two meters (six feet) of snowfall, according to a post by the Arrive Alive road safety campaign.
More snow is anticipated, with orange warnings in effect for several parts of the country, as South African Weather Services forecaster Luthando Masimini described the situation as “an extreme case.”
Meanwhile, away from the affected areas, the rare snowfall drew excitement from those eager to experience it. Justin Nadasem Baker drove three hours from Johannesburg to Warden, about 50 kilometers from Harrismith.
“It was a three-hour drive. We are excited. It has been many, many years since we saw snow,” he told AFP.
YOU MAY ALSO READ: Mexico: Sinaloa Cartel violence escalates with 53 dead, 51 missing as rival factions clash