Seven people, including a child, have died in a storm that caused significant damage in uThongathi, north of Durban. Scores of people have been left homeless.
Coastal towns north of the city were hardest hit, with widespread structural, road, and infrastructure damage reported in uThongathi.
Community halls have been opened to provide shelter and food to affected residents. Several areas in uThongathi are currently inaccessible due to fallen trees and exposed power lines.
The eThekwini Municipality reported that areas west of the city were also affected.
Videos of what residents describe as a tornado are circulating on social media.
Several roads have been blocked by uprooted trees.
Storm hits Northern KwaZulu-Natal
Resident Neeresh Jankee’s house was completely destroyed.
“I have no house and my house has been completely destroyed and there is no roof, nothing. Please bear with me because it’s the first time that something like this has happened to us. There is no house, nothing left. I have been living here for the past 52 years and it’s the first time that something like this has happened. It’s really shocking and heartache and it’s terrible and heartbreaking to anybody.”
Another resident Shivan Laaldas says, “I saw the hail coming and I took the video and then next I can hear like a plane and when I look above me there was no plane. What I did was I held my dog and I sat down. The wall fell down on me and my wife came to me say are you OK, and she said where is the garage and the garage was here, where is my house? And she was stunned and she said hayibo, hayibo!!!”
A third resident Thabani Menyuka says, “The whole township was affected and there are no houses and people are stranded and this is the first time to have such a thing here. The situation is very bad.”
KZN Storm | uThongathi residents affected by severe storm
