Storm hits Durban, kills three

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

A  storm has wreaked havoc in various parts of Durban as the municipal clean-up crews attempted to clear debris and minimize traffic disruptions.

A tornado ripped through a substation in the midlands and this caused panic among the Durban residents. The destructive vortex of vicious wind poses no threat to Durban but power disruptions are expected due to this.

While the KwaZulu- Natal midlands are trying to recover from the freak weather occurrence, Durban locals have started preparing themselves for the powerful storm that is expected to hit the region with upwards of 100 mm of rain on Thursday.

Several weather warnings are in place for the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality including heavy rain leading to flooding of roads and landslides. The South African Weather Service has said that local government is supposed to look after the displacement of communities as a result of the impending storm.

While the storm’s foreboding presence has been felt in Durban, it is expected to reach its peak on Thursday. On Wednesday, residents wake up to fallen trees, flooded streets and a collapsed road.

Two people have said to be died in Inanda, north of Durban, due to being trapped in a collapsed structure. A 24-year-old also lost her life after she was struck by lightning in Ukhaklamba.

Earlier this week, the M4 Highways, which is the major thoroughfare route between Umhlanga and Sibaya, was closed following a landslide. The stretch used as an alternative route to the King Shaka International Airport collapsed due to heavy rains. The authorities have stated that the roadway will remain closed for an indefinite period and motorists have been urged to use the alternative routes including R102, N2 and M41.

Localized flooding has been found in Durban. Residents have complained that the municipality has not prepared well as stormwater drains had not been properly cleared due to which roads were over flooded.

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