By Aneeqa du Plessis

At least two people have been hospitalised with minor injuries after a tornado ripped through parts of Inanda in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) on Tuesday. The pair were caught inside a container that overturned during the tornado. According to reports, several homes have been damaged. Heavy rains have also pummelled Phoenix and parts of KwaMashu in the surrounding areas.

The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has issued an orange level six warning for heavy rain along the South Coast. The municipality’s spokesperson, Lindiwe Khuzwayo, said teams will be working throughout the day to clear fallen trees and other debris.

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) said the consistency of natural disasters in KwaZulu-Natal, from floods to tornadoes, ought to have been an instructive lesson to all those tasked with disaster management to pre-empt these events. The party has called for immediate relief measures to be undertaken in the affected areas.

Assistance

Humanitarian aid organization Gift of the Givers , have teams on the ground offering support to those affected by the inclement conditions. Founder, Dr Imtiaaz Sooliman said care packages are being provided to those in need. He further said the effects of the tornado has not come close to that of the floods experienced in KZN last year.

“As terrifying as the tornado and torrential rains were last night it is no comparison to the floods of April last year. The area of destruction in those floods were huge but here the areas affected are far less and there is barely any infrastructure damage, but the greatest good fortune is that informal settlements were not washed away,” added Sooliman.

Furthermore, Ashraful Aid International teams are closely monitoring the situation and are providing aid where it is necessary.

VOC

Photo: Traffic SA