Gusts bring down trees
An Umbilo resident feels the municipality should act when prompted to cut down old Jacaranda trees in the area.
GALE force winds wreaked havoc in Durban on Monday with reports of at least two trees down in Glenwood.
Part of a large Jacaranda tree fell down outside a property in Fenniscowles Road, Umbilo, narrowly missing the wall and the house.
Resident, Derek Snyders Pearce said he was glad the tree fell onto the pavement as it would have caused extensive damage if it had fallen onto the house.
“It's been an ongoing battle for 12 years. I have lived at the property for four years and have emailed and complained umpteen times about the two Jacaranda trees outside the property. The last response I got from the head of Parks was that there was nothing wrong with the trees,” he said.
He said he was very concerned that the tree next to the one which was blown down would fall over too, as the large tree is leaning towards his house.
“I'm very worried that this tree will be next. These trees are 20 to 30 years old and are full of white ants. I am also concerned as so many people walk up and down this road under the trees. I have asked the Parks Department to have this tree cut too, but we will have to see what happens, we might have to wait until it falls down too or someone is killed, before anything is done,” he said.
Also on Monday, a tree fell onto a vehicle in Clark Road just after 2.30pm.
Rescue Care Paramedics were called to a person entrapped in the vehicle but uninjured.
Garrith Jamieson from Resuce Care said the man was extremely lucky to escape unharmed from the wreckage.
“Paramedics assessed the man and gave him a clean bill of health. We are urging all motorists to be careful in these extremely strong winds we are experiencing,” he said.
