Gift of the Givers ready to assist after tornado hits Durban

Relief organisation Gift of the Givers and its teams are on standby to assist people who have been affected by the tornado which hit parts of the province on Tuesday.

The twister struck Inanda North, Durban in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), causing extensive damage to infrastructure and housing in the area with many with roofs being blown off and walls blown down.

KZN EMS spokesperson Robert McKenzie told The Citizen that paramedics also treated two patients in the area for minor injuries and took them to hospital.

Gift of the Givers on standby

Gift of the Givers said it is assessing the situation and is ready to assist those in need.

“Teams are on standby to intervene in Inanda, KZN following the Tornado. Initial feedback is that Bhambayi and Mawoti have been badly affected.

“At present, the teams are awaiting feedback from disaster management officials and community members.

“Due to unfavorable conditions with poor visibility, a thorough assessment is currently not possible,” it said.

ALSO READ: WATCH: Two injured after tornado hits parts of Durban

Weather warning

Meanwhile, the South African Weather Service (Saws) issued an orange level 6 warning for more disruptive rains in the south-eastern parts of the province.

It is the second-highest weather warning alert in the province affected by the tornado.

The service said widespread disruptive rain and thunderstorms accompanied by hail are expected in the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast and eThekwini.

“Models indicate that more rainfall is still expected in places over the Ugu District Municipality on Tuesday, subsiding in the early hours of Wednesday.”

Disaster management

According to the KwaZulu-Natal Cooperative Governance Department (Cogta), all disaster management services have been activated.

“The teams stand ready to respond promptly and effectively wherever necessary.

“We strongly advise residents to closely monitor water levels and relocate to higher ground to avoid any potential disasters,” it said.

Officials to visit

The Minister of Human Settlements, Mmamoloko Kubayi, together with KwaZulu-Natal Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube including eThekwini Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda are expected to lead a government visit to the community of Inanda on Wednesday to assess damage from the storm.

The KZN provincial govenment said officials want to ensure that families who have been affected are receiving adequate support and assistance.

Gauteng cold snap

In Gauteng, residents have been warned to brace for a cold snap in the province this week.

According to Gauteng Weather, Johannesburg and Pretoria are likely to experience windy conditions, with the mercury hovering between a minimum of 1 °C and 21°C for Joburg.

Pretoria will have slightly higher temperatures but will also experience a cold snap.

Additional reporting by Cornelia Le Roux

ALSO READ: Residents warned to brace for cold snap to hit Gauteng