A woman and infant were killed during an electrical thunder storm during the weekend at Mphondi in Nqutu, while several others were injured.
According to KZN EMS Spokesperson, Robert McKenzie, paramedics responded to several other incidents in the same area.
‘In the first case, three people: a 28-year-old woman, 12-year-old-boy and a five-year-old girl were seriously injured in the lightning strike,’ said McKenzie.
‘In a separate case that evening, a woman in her 20’s and a six-month-old boy died after being struck by lightning; and later a man and his four-year-old daughter sustained injuries,’ he said.
Injured patients were taken to Nquthu Hospital for further medical attention.
KZN MEC for Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) Nomusa Dube-Ncube, sent her condolences to the affected families and warned members of the public to be alert during thunderstorms.
‘Our Disaster Management centres have been activated and are more than ready to act when disasters strike,’ she said.
The tragedy occurred two days before COGTA’s launch of the Provincial Climate Change Awareness Campaign in the uMkhanyakude District Municipality and the official opening of a multi-million rand Disaster Management Centre which is to serve the Big Five – False Bay Municipality.
