 said on Monday.){kind=link}
Staff Reporter
One person was killed and three others injured after being struck by lightning during severe storms that swept parts of KwaZulu-Natal over the weekend, the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) said on Monday.
In Mzimkhulu in the Harry Gwala District, a resident of Ward 15 was struck and killed by lightning while at work on Friday, said COGTA.
ALSO READ: Gauteng to scholar transport operators: comply or get off the road
In a separate incident in Ward 12, three individuals sustained injuries from lightning strikes and were receiving medical attention, it said.
KZN COGTA MEC Thulasizwe Buthelezi deployed provincial disaster management teams to the Harry Gwala and uMgungundlovu districts after storms that began on Friday and continued through Saturday caused widespread damage, including hail and gale-force winds, the department said.
In Impendle Local Municipality in uMgungundlovu District, 12 households were “severely affected,” including 18 children and two senior citizens, with seven homes completely destroyed, leaving four families destitute. Food parcels, blankets and hygiene kits were being distributed with the provincial Department of Social Development, it said.
In Harry Gwala District, at least 11 homes were damaged by hail, while a rockfall in Ward 1 blocked road access, the department said.
ALSO READ: ActionSA’s Khumalo under fire after suspect shooting in Ekurhuleni Drug raid
“Our priority is the safety and dignity of those who have lost everything in these storms,” said Buthelezi. “We are fast-tracking the provision of building materials and temporary shelter to ensure that no family is left exposed to the elements. We remain in a state of high alert.”
The department said that saturated ground increased the risk of secondary incidents, including further rockfalls and the collapse of compromised structures.
INSIDE METROS