A third tornado hits KwaZulu-Natal
Disaster management teams have been deployed to the Utrecht
area, where a tornado swept through on Friday evening.
Disaster management teams have been deployed to the Utrecht area, where a tornado swept through on Friday evening.
The Kwazulu-Natal department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) says in a statement the tornado damaged large parts of the Watervaal Correctional Services facility.
The damage extends to 20 houses that have been utilised by staff.
In a statement released on Saturday morning, the provincial department says no injuries have been reported.
“Disaster management teams are still assessing the extent of the damage, but it is believed that the damage is limited to Watervaal,” reads the statement.
Disaster management teams are supporting the affecting families.
South African Weather Service confirms that a tornado occured in the Utrecht area in KwaZulu-Natal https://t.co/SzWdet8wZv #ArriveAlive #Tornado @SAWeatherServic pic.twitter.com/dTpAfy7xaX
— Arrive Alive (@_ArriveAlive) November 23, 2019
This comes while the province is mourning the deaths of 23 people due to weather related incidents since October.
Tornadoes also hit the New Hanover area and Bergville earlier this month.
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ER24's Ross Campbell confirmed on Wednesday that 2 people died following the severe storms. "It's not yet certain how they died but we are assuming that they were crushed under a collapsed roof of some sort, but it was in the dead of the night," explains Campbell.
Meanwhile, MEC Sipho Hlomuka has called on residents of KwaZulu-Natal to be vigilant ahead of more severe thunderstorms forecast by the SA Weather Service.
“Inclement weather conditions are expected to continue across the province, with the South African Weather Service issuing a warning for severe thunderstorms for large parts of the province for today that bring the possibility of strong winds, hail and heavy downpours in parts of uThukela, uMzinyathi, uMgungundlovu, Amajuba, iLembe, King Cetshwayo Zululand and uMkhanyakude Districts,” reads the statement.