A suspected tornado or at least extreme winds on Monday, 3 June 2024, damaged several houses near Maskaraal and in Madadeni, Section 7.
Such was the nature of the inclement weather, Charles Steyn of Magenta Medical Services noted that several homes were damaged, with search and rescue teams on the grounds to assist the affected individuals on Monday night.
“There were a couple of injuries,” stated Steyn, highlighting that the injured were transported to hospital for medical treatment.
Additionally, the KwaZulu-Natal Government said it responded to several incidents caused by heavy rains accompanied by strong winds and hailstorms that battered parts of the province, resulting in extensive damage to households and infrastructure.
The Provincial Government Department added that the intense weather conditions affected communities in the Amajuba District and Umzinyathi District, confirming that the strong winds in Newcastle, Dannhauser, Nquthu, and surrounding areas damaged houses.
Furthermore, five people were thus far reported to have lost their lives in the eThekwini Metro which was hit the hardest, seeing dozens of people treated for injuries in healthcare facilities. uThongathi also sustained extensive damage with several houses damaged, some roads flooded, trees fallen, and significant damage to infrastructure such as power lines and roads.
Following this, the KwaZulu-Natal Government noted that disaster teams were currently assessing the extent of the damages while providing immediate relief, including accommodating displaced residents in government buildings.
The provincial government, through the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, has coordinated the disaster team from affected municipalities to provide temporary shelter to those who may need it.
With disaster teams in place to assist the impacted area, the South African Weather Service (SAWS) has warned that damaging winds can be expected to impact several KZN communities on Tuesday, 4 June 2024. According to the weather service, the following towns are expected to be impacted by the damaging winds:
- Newcastle
- Dundee
- Utrecht
- Dannhauser
- Ladysmith
- Vryheid
- Mooi River
- Msinga
Looking at the warning, SAWS warned that the impact of the wind conditions could lead to the risk of runaway fires and damage to temporary structures and settlements. Moreover, SAWS warned of localised problems for high-sided vehicles on the N3 due to crosswinds.
As further damaging weather is expected to persist throughout Tuesday, residents are encouraged to practice caution.
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