Four people lost their lives in Mfekayi, near uMtubatuba in Mkhanyakude, after their houses were destroyed by the thunderstorms that swept through parts of KwaZulu-Natal on Sunday morning.
The storm, accompanied by strong winds, left many families without housing. Trees were uprooted on the roads in St Lucia and some houses were completely destroyed.
One community member told Scrolla.Africa that at about 2 pm people started screaming and trying to get help from emergency services.
The roof of one house was blown off by the strong wind and mud houses were completely destroyed.
In Ulundi, the electricity infrastructure was damaged and at A section the transformer was destroyed. Durban roads were flooded and in the Cato Manor area near Chesterville, cars were seen floating around after the T-junction was heavily flooded.
KZN Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs spokesperson Sboniso Mngadi said that provincial disaster management teams are assisting those affected by the heavy rainfall and widespread destruction.
"Our initial report from Mtubatuba reveals that at least four individuals lost their lives due to a thunderstorm accompanied by strong wind. The storm tore roofs off houses and caused damage to infrastructure, including power cables, roads, bridges and vehicles," said Mngadi.
He said that more than 70 houses in the Somkhele and KwaMyeki areas were destroyed, leaving families homeless.
Community halls and churches have opened their doors to the public, while others have sought alternative accommodation with relatives.
There are also reports of damaged vehicles, and in certain areas, Eskom poles and cables are scattered across roads and people's properties.
In the Harry Gwala district, the Greater Kokstad Municipality experienced heavy rain and a hailstorm in Pakkies location, where about six households were affected.
In the Umgungundlovu district, about 23 households in the Rosetta informal settlement in Mpofana Municipality were affected by the hailstorm last night.
A block of rental rooms in Ulundi, in the Zululand Municipality, were blown over by strong wind last night, with no reported injuries.
