Heavy rains, storm winds cause extensive damage in KZN, Inanda hardest hit

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KwaZulu-Natal authorities say heavy rains and storm winds since Tuesday afternoon have caused extensive damage in various parts of the province, with Inanda – north of Durban – being the hardest hit.

The Department of Cooperative Governance says roads, electricity networks and water pipelines have been severely damaged.

In areas north of Durban, rescue teams were able to save families stranded in their homes. Rain continued during the night.

The eThekwini municipality says clinics have also been flooded. Municipal workers have been clearing fallen trees and debris from roads.

Initial indications are that a herdsman was washed away by floodwater in the Zwelisha area in the Durban metro.

Tornado?

The South African Weather Service (SAWS) is investigating whether storm winds and heavy rains in various parts of KwaZulu-Natal were indeed a tornado.

Many people have been left without shelter in Inanda after strong winds blew roofs off homes on Tuesday afternoon.

Disaster management teams are assessing the extent of the damage for an update on the extent of the damage that has been caused by storm winds and heavy rains in various parts of KwaZulu-Natal.

Storm in KwaZulu-Natal leaves trail of destruction:

Trail of destruction 

Residents of Inanda are trying to rebuild their houses after they were destroyed. Scores of people are this morning currently without shelter.

Sphamandla Gcumisa is amongst those who lost all their belongings.  “My house blew away while I was inside, the house when I saw that it was moving I ran to my neighbours house unfortunately my neighbours house also moved. There was a heavy wind that blew away everything, even the containers and it happened for a short while, it was really powerful and it passed through. Right now there’s nothing much we can be assisted with because we would like to get material to fix our houses so we can be able to move on with life.”

Storm winds, heavy rains in various parts of KwaZulu-Natal