· A 35-year-old woman was swept away by floods in Dundee as heavy rain destroyed homes and damaged infrastructure across the town.
· In eShowe, an elderly woman was struck by lightning during a storm and taken to hospital as emergency teams rushed to help victims
Two KwaZulu-Natal towns were hit by violent storms and floods on Saturday night, leaving one woman missing and another badly injured.
A 35-year-old woman was swept away by floods in Sibongile Township, Dundee, after torrential rain caused widespread damage to homes, roads and infrastructure. She has not been found.
In eShowe, an elderly woman was struck by lightning in ward 8 of uMlalazi Local Municipality. She survived the lightning strike and was rushed to hospital.
This is the third major weather disaster to hit the province in recent weeks. Deadly floods have already taken lives in Newcastle and New Hanover.
KwaZulu-Natal Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC Reverend Thulasizwe Buthelezi said disaster teams had been sent to all the affected areas. A second team was sent to uMlalazi, where wards 14, 16 and 21 were heavily damaged by storms.
“Last night, heavy rains caused localised flooding in Sibongile Township, under the eNdumeni Local Municipality. Tragically, a 35-year-old woman was swept away. Search and rescue operations are underway,” said MEC Buthelezi.
He warned that more heavy rain is expected in the coming months and urged communities to stay alert and take all warnings seriously.
“Our disaster management teams are on high alert and will continue to respond swiftly to emergencies. We appeal to residents to exercise caution and report any incidents to local authorities,” he said.
Pictured above: Houses were damaged in uMlalazi and an elderly woman was struck by lightning while a 35-year-old woman was swept away by floods in Dundee during the last night heavy rains.
Image source: KZN Cogta
