Resident left homeless after being hit by a cyclone.

The KZN disaster team is providing relief after a cyclone-like storm left the Nongoma area disaster-stricken.
The severe storm hit the area on Friday evening, destroying schools, school offices, community buildings, churches and Eskom power lines.
The National Disaster Management Team conducted surveys in the Ekubuseni, Gomodo and Holinyoka areas in Nongoma to determine the extent of damage caused.
Preliminary reports indicate that eight churches were seriously damaged. A total of 78 houses were destroyed and three houses suffered fire damage, affecting more than 600 people. No deaths or injuries have been reported at this stage.
Three classrooms at Nhlanhlayethu Secondary School were destroyed, while the storm damaged the roof.
Electricity was affected in five wards.
Water supplies were knocked out in some areas after reservoirs were affected. KwaZulu-Natal Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC, Bongiwe Sithole-Moloi, expressed his condolences to families who lost valuables in the storm.
“We extend our condolences to all the families and communities affected by this severe weather. Our team was sent to assess the situation in the Nongoma region. We work with ministries such as Human Settlements, Social Development and Health to assist. Our disaster team will continue to assess and provide assistance. Several rivers are full due to heavy rains. We urge the community to be very careful and not attempt to cross the swollen river to avoid loss of life,” said MEC Sithole-Moloi.
The Zululand Regional Disaster Management Team distributed relief items such as tents, B-boxes, water drums and plastic sheeting. The beneficiary list of all victims will be processed and sent to the relevant departments to receive assistance with the replacement of ID cards, medicines and school uniforms.
Human Settlements Minister, Mmamoloko Kubayi, dispatched an emergency shelter team from the department to determine the type and extent of damage caused to formal and informal housing.
“I have directed officials to ensure that affected households are assisted as a matter of urgency. We have roped in one of our agencies, NHBRC to help the team assess the integrity of all structures that have been affected”, said Minister Kubayi.
Established in 2023, the Emergency Housing Unit is tasked with the responsibility of responding to emergencies such as fires and floods. This is done by working together with other spheres of government.
“Our main objective in emergency housing response is to ensure that we respond swiftly and provide solutions that will enable the affected communities to rebuild their homes”, added Minister Kubayi.

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The news provided to you in this link comes to you from the editorial staff of the Vryheid Herald, a sold newspaper distributed in the Vryheid area.