Tongaat Tornado Tragedy: Community in Mourning as Relief Efforts Intensify
- The tornado in Tongaat, South Africa, left five dead and many displaced
- Relief efforts led by provincial Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) are underway, providing shelters and aid to affected communities
- Public facilities are being utilised as safe havens and assessment teams are clearing roads to assist rescue operations
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Reitumetse Makwea, a Briefly News current affairs journalist in Pretoria, South Africa, covered court, weather and crime-related news at The Citizen and Rekord Noweto for over five years.
Source: Twitter
A devastating tornado tore through the tranquil town of Tongaat, KwaZulu Natal, yesterday. The community has found itself grappling with the aftermath of unimaginable loss and destruction.
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Jabulile Nkosi, a resident in uThongathi, vividly recalls the harrowing moment when the tornado struck,
Her voice trembling with emotion, she said the tornado left behind a trail of devastation that shook the community to its core.
"It feels like I'm just watching a movie. I can't believe what has happened."
South Africans are sympathetic
For many, like Nkosi, the fateful day's events remain surreal as they come to terms with the sudden and catastrophic impact of nature's fury and severe weather in the area.
@ashleigh_mok devastatingly said:
"Yooooh, during winter..."
@QueenEphanie suggested that:
"@MkhontoweSizwex Can we please find these families and make donations? Ward 57 is keen on helping."
@OracleLexi commented:
"This is bad. It is still yet to rain again…"
Relief efforts continue for tornado-stricken Tongaat
According to IOL, the toll of the tragedy continues to mount, with five lives lost and numerous families left reeling from the destruction of their homes and livelihoods.
The provincial Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) has been leading relief efforts, recognising the urgent need to support affected communities in their time of dire need.
"The KZN government is responding to several incidents caused by heavy rains accompanied by strong wind and hail storms that battered parts of the province, resulting in extensive damage to households and infrastructure."
uThonathi the hardest hit
Among the hardest-hit areas is the uThongathi region, where the tornado's ferocity was felt most acutely. Homes were obliterated, roofs torn off, and trees uprooted, leaving a landscape of devastation in its wake.
Tragically, a woman lost her life when her home collapsed under the force of the tornado, underscoring the gravity of the situation.
The tornado's impact was not confined solely to Tongaat, as neighbouring areas in Durban also bore the brunt of the relentless storm. Heavy downpours inundated central parts, areas west of the CBD and Umgababa, exacerbating residents' already precarious situation.
Communities in the Amajuba and Umzinyathi districts were also not spared from nature's wrath, as houses succumbed to the force of the winds in Newcastle, Dannhauser, Nquthu and surrounding areas.
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The widespread damage underscores the indiscriminate nature of natural disasters, which spare no one in their path of destruction.
"Public facilities have been opened as safe havens for the affected communities as the assessment continues. Roads are being cleared using TLBs to ensure rescue workers can attend to the injured."
Mngadi affirmed, highlighting the concerted efforts to mitigate further harm and alleviate the suffering of those impacted by the disaster.
Cars drive in flooded streets in viral video
Briefly News noted the severe weather in KwaZulu-Natal had cars driving on water-covered roads because of the downpour.
A video shared on social media depicts the extent of the floods, with cars moving at a snail's pace through the water.
South Africans remarked that this may result from KZN residents voting for the MK Party.
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Source: Briefly News
