Four people lost their lives in Mfekayi, near uMtubatuba in Mkhanyakude on Sunday morning, after their houses were destroyed by the thunderstorms that swept through parts of KwaZulu-Natal.
The storm, accompanied by strong winds, left many families without shelter. Trees were uprooted in St Lucia and some houses were completely destroyed.
A community member told Scrolla.Africa that at about 2 pm people started screaming and trying to get help from emergency services.
The roof of one house was blown off by the strong wind and mud houses were completely destroyed.
In Ulundi, the electricity infrastructure was damaged and at A section the transformer was destroyed. Durban roads were flooded and in the Cato Manor area near Chesterville, cars were seen floating in the water after the T-junction was heavily flooded.
KZN Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs spokesperson Sboniso Mngadi said that provincial disaster management teams are assisting those affected by the heavy rainfall and widespread destruction.
“Our initial report from Mtubatuba reveals that at least four individuals lost their lives. The storm tore roofs off houses and caused damage to infrastructure, including power cables, roads, bridges and vehicles,” said Mngadi.
He said more than 70 houses in the Somkhele and KwaMyeki areas were destroyed, leaving families homeless.
Community halls and churches have opened their doors to the public, while some people have sought alternative accommodation with relatives.
There are also reports of damaged vehicles, and in certain areas, Eskom poles and cables are scattered across roads and people’s properties.
In the Harry Gwala district, the Greater Kokstad Municipality experienced heavy rain and a hailstorm in Pakkies location, where about six households were affected.
In the Umgungundlovu district, about 23 households in the Rosetta informal settlement in Mpofana Municipality were affected by a hailstorm.
A block of rental rooms in Ulundi, in the Zululand Municipality, were blown over by strong wind with no reported injuries.
Picture above: Four people died in Mtubatuba when a storm wreaked havoc in various parts of KZN.
Image source: Supplied
