By A number of communities have been plunged into darkness following heavy rains and thunderstorms that swept through the Free State province and damages Eskom infrastructure.
Eskom cautions residents and its customers to stay clear of any broken electrical infrastructure to avoid electrocution. According to the utility, the storms that ravaged the province yesterday, Sunday, 10 November 2024, damaged some of Eskom’s infrastructure leading to power outages.
“Eskom technicians are attending to faults with the utmost urgency, but due to the nature of these incidents, supply restoration might be delayed.
Customers are reminded to report faults or damaged infrastructure following Eskom’s various customer service channels, which include the MyEskom Customer App, Alfred the Chatbot, USSD platform (*120*37566#) and the Eskom Contact Centre (08600 ESKOM / 37566),” said Stefanie Jansen van Rensburg, Senior Advisor Stakeholder Management, Industry Support and Stakeholder Relations in the Free State.
Customers are advised to take the following steps of safety during and after severe weather:
- If possible, unplug electronic equipment before the storm arrives. Avoid contact with electrical equipment and cords during storms.
- Avoid contact with water and plumbing, including sinks and baths, when there is lightning.
- Never useelectric appliances or touch electric wires, switches, or fuses when your hands are wet or when you are standing in water.
- If an electrical appliance has been in contact with water, get a professional to check it out before it is used again as it may need to be repaired or replaced.
- Stay away from fallen trees or broken branches near a power line, and do not attempt to remove it before the line has been isolated and made safe by authorised Eskom personnel.
- Never step into a flooded room if water may be in contact with electrical plugs, appliances, or cords.
- Do not touch or swim in rivers or streams as power lines may have fallen into them and electrified the water.
- Never try to turn off power at the main box if you must stand in water to do so. If you cannot reach the main box safely, call Eskom or your municipality to shut off power at the meter.
- Keep electric tools and equipment at least two metres away from wet surfaces. Do not use lawn mowers if it is raining or the ground is wet.
