Mudslides and hail left in the wake of raging electrical storm
The raging electrical storm that left Middelburg South, Dennesig and Kanonkop without power, sowed widespread destruction with blankets of hail and mudslides reported across town.
60mm of rain was measured in Gholfsig, where the lightning was witnessed in full force shortly after dipping the town into darkness.
Residents shared the following photos of the damage left behind by the storm:
• Waterlogging and flooding were reported in several streets, and a vehicle was swept from the road surface into nearby bushes by gushing streams of water in Zuid Street.
• The N11 (Loskop) was blanketed in hail yesterday evening, with the worst hail experienced roughly 10km outside Middelburg. An image of a hailstone the size of a pool ball was sent in by a resident.
• Strong streams of water also flowed heavily into the R555 (Witbank) yesterday afternoon. The water was seen coming down like a waterfall from the structures next to the train bridge.
• A mudslide was also reported on the section of Dr Beyers Naudé that runs on the outskirts of the Mhluzi suburb.
The following rain measurements were shared on the Middelburg Reënval Facebook page:
55mm in Dennesig; 40mm in Palm Street, Kanonkop; 46mm in Hibiscus, Kanonkop; 28 mm in Verdoorn Street, Mineralia; 34 mm on Glen Cullen Estate; 36 mm in Bhimy Damane Street, Central; 34 mm in Aerorand West; 60 mm in Gholfsig.
