🇿🇦❄️ Rare phenomenon: Heavy snowfall strands motorists in South Africa, forces roads closure

The unusually heavy snowfall caused widespread disruption on Saturday, with the major N3 highway between Johannesburg and Durban particularly badly affected after sections of the road were closed and detours made impassable.

Emergency services worked through the night to reach stranded motorists, but the exact number of affected individuals and their condition remain unclear. The KwaZulu-Natal provincial government reported that blankets and meals had been delivered to some drivers. 

Trucks were parked along the road since Friday, and buses traveling between provinces had been stalled at petrol stations for several hours, according to officials. Some areas experienced up to two meters of snow.

The South African Weather Services issued orange warnings for several parts of the country, anticipating further snowfall. "It's an extreme case," said forecaster Luthando Masimini.

☃️ While the snowfall posed a danger to those caught in its path, it also drew excitement from those in unaffected areas, who were eager to witness the rare phenomenon.


🔸 TikTok | Sputnik Africa 🔸

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🇿🇦❄️ Seltenes Phänomen: Starker Schneefall blockiert Autofahrer in Südafrika und erzwingt Straßensperrungen

Der ungewöhnlich starke Schneefall verursachte am Samstag weit verbreitete Störungen, wobei die wichtige Autobahn N3 zwischen Johannesburg und Durban besonders stark betroffen war, nachdem Straßenabschnitte gesperrt und Umwege unpassierbar gemacht wurden.

Rettungsdienste arbeiteten die ganze Nacht hindurch, um gestrandete Autofahrer zu erreichen, aber die genaue Anzahl der betroffenen Personen und ihr Zustand sind noch unklar. Die Provinzregierung von KwaZulu-Natal berichtete, dass einigen Fahrern Decken und Mahlzeiten geliefert worden seien. 

Lastwagen parkten seit Freitag entlang der Straße, und Busse, die zwischen Provinzen fuhren, waren nach Angaben von Beamten mehrere Stunden lang an Tankstellen stehen geblieben. In einigen Gebieten lagen bis zu zwei Meter Schnee.

Die südafrikanischen Wetterdienste gaben orangefarbene Warnungen für mehrere Landesteile heraus und erwarteten weiteren Schneefall. "Es ist ein extremer Fall", sagte Prognostiker Luthando Masimini.

☃️ Während der Schneefall eine Gefahr für diejenigen darstellte, die auf seinem Weg gefangen waren, erregte er auch die Aufregung derjenigen in nicht betroffenen Gebieten, die das seltene Phänomen unbedingt miterleben wollten.


https://t.me/sputnik_africa/25796?single 

 A rare and unusual weather phenomenon has struck South Africa. Here's a summary of the article:

**Heavy Snowfall Hits South Africa**

Unusually heavy snowfall caused widespread disruption in South Africa on Saturday, stranding motorists on major roads. The N3 highway between Johannesburg and Durban was particularly affected, with sections closed and detours made impassable.

**Emergency Services Respond**

Emergency services worked through the night to reach stranded motorists, but the exact number of people affected and their condition remain unclear. Some areas experienced up to 2 meters (6.6 feet) of snow.

**Roads Closed, Travel Disrupted**

Trucks were parked along roads since Friday, and buses traveling between provinces had been stalled at petrol stations for several hours. The South African Weather Services issued orange warnings for several parts of the country, anticipating further snowfall.

**Rare Phenomenon Brings Excitement and Concern**

While the snowfall posed a danger to those caught in its path, it also drew excitement from those in unaffected areas who were eager to witness the rare phenomenon. The article mentions that some people took to social media platforms like TikTok to share their experiences and photos of the snow.

**Translation of the German Text**

The article is accompanied by a German translation, which provides a summary of the same information.