Cape Town — More heavy rains are expected to hit at least four provinces on Thursday, warned the South African Weather Services.

In a warning issued late on Wednesday, the Weather Services forecasted heavy rains in the Western Cape in the Overberg, the Cape Winelands and Eden districts, and in parts of the Eastern Cape, Limpopo and Mpumalanga.

Several areas in the Western Cape and Free State have already experienced heavy rainfall, hail and strong winds which have lashed the area. Speaking to BuaNews on Thursday, Head of disaster management in the Overberg region, Reinard Geldenhuys said various homes in Hermanus were also flooded.

"In Hermanus, 100 people were evacuated as a result of the flooding, while reports of water running through houses in Fernkloof, Hermanus, were also received." Two people were rescued by helicopter in the Greyton area of the Western Cape after being surrounded by floodwater on Wednesday.

In addition, the Bads River at Caledon, the Buffeljags River at the Suurbraak and Buffeljags river holiday resort and the Riviersonderend River at Greyton and Helderstroom were flooded. Mr Geldenhuys said additional resources were being kept on standby and ongoing monitoring is in place for the next few days.

"We have the Oryx helicopter, which is on standby at the Overberg Air Force Base, fire rescue swimmers on high alert as well as all other emergency services," he told BuaNews, adding that the Overberg Control Centre will also be on standby and can be contacted on (l0177) for any flood related emergencies. Meanwhile, several roads in Johannesburg and Pretoria were flooded overnight and several families in Diepsloot were affected as their homes are soaked in water.

Joburg's Emergency Management Services (JEMS), spokesperson Nana Radebe, told BuaNews that disaster management officials were keeping a close eye on the area.

"All our officials are on a high alert in the area ... last night we had about 30 people including children who took shelter at the Diepsloot Fire Station. However now that the rain has stopped they have since gone back to their homes."

According to Ms Radebe, JEMS provided the victims with blankets.

She said JEMS was paying special attention to areas like Alexandra, Sandton, Diepsloot, Dobsonville, Klipspruit Valley and Orange Farm.

"We are continually monitoring the areas, however, most of the roads are still filled with debris because of rain, making it impossible to enter the township," she said.

Police and emergency services have been placed on high alert in preparation for devastating flash flooding throughout South Africa in days and weeks to come.

In the Free State, eight people drowned during flash floods in the Botshabelo and Thaba Nchu area, some 60km east of Bloemfontein, since Sunday. Some 240 houses were damaged by flood water.

On Wednesday, the municipal officials visited the relatives of those who have drowned and disaster management teams were still distributing food parcels and blankets to victims.

The municipality also started supplying new building materials to those whose informal dwellings have been destroyed. The SA Weather Service office in Bloemfontein expected only light rain for the area on Wednesday night and Thursday.

According to the weather service, the rain would continue until the weekend.