VIDEO: Zululand battered by strong winds
Port Control has registered wind gust speeds of 120km per hour.
THE SA Weather warnings were slightly late – but spot on target – in predicting the massive wind storms that hit Zululand late Sunday, with Richards Bay Port Control officers confirming registered wind gust speeds of 120km per hour at 6am this morning.
Reports of wind incidents have been streaming in – included residential roofs being blown off in Empangeni, Birdswood, eSikhaleni and Ngwelezana, a large tree causing major damage at a local pre-primary school, the peaks of the woodpiles being blown onto the John Ross Parkway, and massive dust clouds affecting both businesses and residents.
While one reporter was dealing with comment from the Empangeni Fire Station, a call came in of roofing sheets being blown off a multi-story structure in Turnbull Street.
The roof of this house in Ngwelezana was blown off today with a mother and a child inside @ZOPublications pic.twitter.com/BAmGcU0Cv5
— uMhlathuze (@UmhlathuzeM) November 2, 2015
No motorists or pedestrians were injured.
The hoods on traffic lights at Empangeni’s Main Road/Frankbull intersection were blown around on their axis, resulting in confusion for motorists.
Traffic lights were also out at Mondi, eSikhaleni and the John Ross/N2 intersection.
In Richards Bay, the walk-on moorings at the Tuzi Gazi Small Craft Harbour lifted, which resulted in damage to a number of yachts and small boats.
NSRI Richards Bay Station Commander Dorian Robertson said the base was on ‘high alert’ for distress calls, though at the time of publication none had been reported.
The Port remains closed to shipping.
Several veld fires are raging on farms, with firefighters scrambling to control the blazes.
Emergency services are dealing with a large volume of calls, and are currently under severe pressure to attend to all emergencies.
Has your property been affected by the wind? Send us your pics!
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