MJ Poore
EF2
Just in case you thought only the US gets the most damaging supercell storms on planet earth...sat and radar imagery is on the SA summer storms thread btw. Heartfelt wishes to all involved. Looks like there was a tornado in all this as well.
TIMES OF SWAZILAND
Storm death toll rises to five
December 11 2006
BY ALBERT MASANGO, SENZO DLAMINI AND SIHLE MZILENI
MBABANE - The number of people who died in incidents related to Sunday’s vicious hailstorm rose to five as two more were reported yesterday to have been killed in separate incidents.
One was a Royal Swaziland Sugar Corporation employee, who was electrocuted while attending to a fault on an electricity line, while the other was struck by a bolt of lightning as he was on his way home.
The latter man was in the company of three boys, who are currently receiving treatment at the Hlatikulu Government Hospital.
This raises the death toll to five, following the demise of three members of the Jerusalem Church in Zion in Hlatikulu on the same day.
The man who was electrocuted was killed at around 10pm. His name shall not be mentioned until his next of kin are notified of his death.
The man, according to an insider, was confirmed dead on arrival at the company’s clinic. Though the exact nature of the electric fault he was working on could not be ascertained, he was at Ngomane Village on duty when he met his death.
Officers at the company could not be drawn to comment as they said they were still to inform the deceased’s family.
Meanwhile at kaNdunayithini, Lavumisa, the family of the other man is still trying to come to terms with what befell them.
According to relatives, the man who was with three others, was walking home when tragedy struck.
“He was killed on the spot, while the others were rushed to the Hlatikulu Government Hospital, where they are currently recovering. They are in a stable condition, even though they are still a bit dizzy and seem confused,†said the relative, who requested anonymity.
For this reason the deceased’s name shall not be disclosed.
While the two families mourn, hundreds of other people are lucky to be alive after sustaining head injuries as they were caught by the huge hailstones that fell during the storm.
According to the Mbabane Government Hospital Senior Medical Officer, Makhosazana Dlamini, over 100 people were treated and discharged at the hospital.
Dlamini said most of the people had sustained injuries inflicted on them by what she termed ‘rocks of ice’.
In a separate incident, a middle-aged woman suffered serious injuries on her back, which she sustained after falling when trying to run to safety during the storm. Many people in Mbabane lost several thousands of Emalangeni in damaged property, which includes motor vehicles and houses.
A Swaziland Posts and Telecommunications (SPTC) employee was close to tears as he covered his car rear screen with plastics.
Asked to relate his ordeal, he could only say: “There was nothing I could do; I watched as my car was damaged.â€
In another incident, a child is recuperating at the Hlatikulu Government Hospital after it was also injured during the storm.
Thousands lost at Dvokodvweni after raging storm sweeps through
BY NIMROD MABUZA
DVOKODVWENI – A raging storm late Sunday afternoon left a trail of destruction amounting to thousands of Emalangeni at Dvokodvweni area in the Lubombo region.
Mostly affected is the home of former Minister of Natural Resources and Energy Mahlaba Mamba and surrounding homes. Mamba‘s home situated on higher grounds took the full impact of the storm, which swept across the country.
Dvokodvweni Primary School was left roofless with books inside the classrooms soaked.
Siphofaneni was also affected as it was reported that seven members of a family narrowly missed death when the house they were in collapsed on them. They suffered slight injuries and those a little serious were taken to hospital.
In Mbabane, damage was mainly caused on cars as windows were smashed by the big hailstones. The roof in some homes was also affected.
Mamba and his family were left almost homeless as every house - save for two rondavels - was left roofless. Trees around the homestead were uprooted by the raging wind accompanying by big hailstones. Stronger trees were left with stumps only as the strong wind stripped it of every branch.
smashed
Windows were smashed but no casualties were reported. Mamba‘s family lost four of its dogs to the storm. Guinea fowl chicks and fowls were also not spared. The damage at Mamba‘s home has not yet been quantified.
According to family members, when the storm struck at about 4pm there were only two teenagers at home.
“They were in the rondavel and when the roofs were blown off, the children were not affected,†said a family member.
Mamba was not home, so was his wife. It was revealed that Mamba was on his way home when the storm struck and because of it, he had to park his car along the road and wait until it was over.
He could not drive during the storm as flying debris such as uprooted trees made driving impossible. It was only when he drove closer home after the storm that he realised the extent of the damage at his home.
The spacious home was left a ghost shadow of itself. Household items were extensively damaged and most beyond repair. Some of the rooms were still soaked in water and according to family members huge ice stones had piled up in the rooms.
heap
“Up to this morning, the hailstones were still a heap in some of the rooms,†said Mamba’s elder brother who offered to have some of the salvaged household items taken to his home for safe-keeping.
A few homesteads around Mamba’s home were also caught up in the storm and had roofs blown off. Mamba and his wife were not available at home.
As the storm created a trail of destruction, leaving in its wake trees pruned, it struck again at Dvokodvweni. Primary School situated almost in a similar position as Mamba’s home.
Since schools are closed for the last term, the classrooms were still locked and there was nobody attending to the damage
TIMES OF SWAZILAND
DISASTER! Lightning kills 30 goats
By Starsky Mkhonta
THE havoc that caused destruction throughout the country did not spare a family of Kaliba near Dzakasini where lightning killed 29 goats at once.
As the Mabuza family was preparing to drive the goats out for grazing, they were left dumbfounded when they found them all dead. When he saw the goats lying still, Magayiza Mabuza (14) thought they were relaxing, waiting to be taken out to the veld at the end of the storm. However, he said what puzzled him the most was that all of them were motionless.
“I drew closer and was whistling as I normally do each time I take them out for grazing,†said the boy, who is doing Standard Three at the local primary school, Dzakasini.
As he drew closer, he became suspicious and his worst fears were confirmed when he found the goats flung throughout the kraal.
He immediately raised an alarm, drawing the attention of other family members and neighbours, who rushed to the scene.
The head of the family, Andreas Mpunzana Mabuza, was away in South Africa.
Mpunzana, a polygamist, seemingly had invested a lot in livestock and according to his senior wife, Beauty (nee Dlamini), the news of the death of the goats would definitely devastate him.
“My husband is a farmer by nature and has spent a fortune in rearing the goats. I just wonder how he is going to react once he learns about this,†said LaDlamini, who is employed as school secretary at Dzakasini Primary.
LaDlamini said it was likely that the goats were killed anytime between Saturday evening and the early hours of Sunday. She stated that it had been thundering the previous day (Saturday) which is what makes everyone to conclude that nothing but lightning killed the goats.
“We suspect no foul play other than the thunder. We remained indoors because of the storm that also flooded rivers,†she said.
Shepherd “Melusi†Mthethwa, a neighbour and teacher at the same school, told The Swazi Observer that they were all still shaken by what had occurred at the Mabuza homestead.
“We sympathise with the family as livestock is Swazi pride. In particular, in areas just like ours here, we normally depend on animals for survival,†said Mthethwa.
While others expressed their sympathy, others helped the family in skinning the carcasses claiming they would feed the meat to dogs, which was, however, doubtful.
Mafolo Myeni, a local community policeman, said he would give the family a live calf in exchange for the meat he took to cook for his dogs.
The Mabuza family also owns an impressive number of cattle. Police Public Relations Officer Superintendent Vusie Masuku was blank on the matter but asked to be given time to check with the relevant officers.
TIMES OF SWAZILAND
Storm death toll rises to five
December 11 2006
BY ALBERT MASANGO, SENZO DLAMINI AND SIHLE MZILENI
MBABANE - The number of people who died in incidents related to Sunday’s vicious hailstorm rose to five as two more were reported yesterday to have been killed in separate incidents.
One was a Royal Swaziland Sugar Corporation employee, who was electrocuted while attending to a fault on an electricity line, while the other was struck by a bolt of lightning as he was on his way home.
The latter man was in the company of three boys, who are currently receiving treatment at the Hlatikulu Government Hospital.
This raises the death toll to five, following the demise of three members of the Jerusalem Church in Zion in Hlatikulu on the same day.
The man who was electrocuted was killed at around 10pm. His name shall not be mentioned until his next of kin are notified of his death.
The man, according to an insider, was confirmed dead on arrival at the company’s clinic. Though the exact nature of the electric fault he was working on could not be ascertained, he was at Ngomane Village on duty when he met his death.
Officers at the company could not be drawn to comment as they said they were still to inform the deceased’s family.
Meanwhile at kaNdunayithini, Lavumisa, the family of the other man is still trying to come to terms with what befell them.
According to relatives, the man who was with three others, was walking home when tragedy struck.
“He was killed on the spot, while the others were rushed to the Hlatikulu Government Hospital, where they are currently recovering. They are in a stable condition, even though they are still a bit dizzy and seem confused,†said the relative, who requested anonymity.
For this reason the deceased’s name shall not be disclosed.
While the two families mourn, hundreds of other people are lucky to be alive after sustaining head injuries as they were caught by the huge hailstones that fell during the storm.
According to the Mbabane Government Hospital Senior Medical Officer, Makhosazana Dlamini, over 100 people were treated and discharged at the hospital.
Dlamini said most of the people had sustained injuries inflicted on them by what she termed ‘rocks of ice’.
In a separate incident, a middle-aged woman suffered serious injuries on her back, which she sustained after falling when trying to run to safety during the storm. Many people in Mbabane lost several thousands of Emalangeni in damaged property, which includes motor vehicles and houses.
A Swaziland Posts and Telecommunications (SPTC) employee was close to tears as he covered his car rear screen with plastics.
Asked to relate his ordeal, he could only say: “There was nothing I could do; I watched as my car was damaged.â€
In another incident, a child is recuperating at the Hlatikulu Government Hospital after it was also injured during the storm.
Thousands lost at Dvokodvweni after raging storm sweeps through
BY NIMROD MABUZA
DVOKODVWENI – A raging storm late Sunday afternoon left a trail of destruction amounting to thousands of Emalangeni at Dvokodvweni area in the Lubombo region.
Mostly affected is the home of former Minister of Natural Resources and Energy Mahlaba Mamba and surrounding homes. Mamba‘s home situated on higher grounds took the full impact of the storm, which swept across the country.
Dvokodvweni Primary School was left roofless with books inside the classrooms soaked.
Siphofaneni was also affected as it was reported that seven members of a family narrowly missed death when the house they were in collapsed on them. They suffered slight injuries and those a little serious were taken to hospital.
In Mbabane, damage was mainly caused on cars as windows were smashed by the big hailstones. The roof in some homes was also affected.
Mamba and his family were left almost homeless as every house - save for two rondavels - was left roofless. Trees around the homestead were uprooted by the raging wind accompanying by big hailstones. Stronger trees were left with stumps only as the strong wind stripped it of every branch.
smashed
Windows were smashed but no casualties were reported. Mamba‘s family lost four of its dogs to the storm. Guinea fowl chicks and fowls were also not spared. The damage at Mamba‘s home has not yet been quantified.
According to family members, when the storm struck at about 4pm there were only two teenagers at home.
“They were in the rondavel and when the roofs were blown off, the children were not affected,†said a family member.
Mamba was not home, so was his wife. It was revealed that Mamba was on his way home when the storm struck and because of it, he had to park his car along the road and wait until it was over.
He could not drive during the storm as flying debris such as uprooted trees made driving impossible. It was only when he drove closer home after the storm that he realised the extent of the damage at his home.
The spacious home was left a ghost shadow of itself. Household items were extensively damaged and most beyond repair. Some of the rooms were still soaked in water and according to family members huge ice stones had piled up in the rooms.
heap
“Up to this morning, the hailstones were still a heap in some of the rooms,†said Mamba’s elder brother who offered to have some of the salvaged household items taken to his home for safe-keeping.
A few homesteads around Mamba’s home were also caught up in the storm and had roofs blown off. Mamba and his wife were not available at home.
As the storm created a trail of destruction, leaving in its wake trees pruned, it struck again at Dvokodvweni. Primary School situated almost in a similar position as Mamba’s home.
Since schools are closed for the last term, the classrooms were still locked and there was nobody attending to the damage
TIMES OF SWAZILAND
DISASTER! Lightning kills 30 goats
By Starsky Mkhonta
THE havoc that caused destruction throughout the country did not spare a family of Kaliba near Dzakasini where lightning killed 29 goats at once.
As the Mabuza family was preparing to drive the goats out for grazing, they were left dumbfounded when they found them all dead. When he saw the goats lying still, Magayiza Mabuza (14) thought they were relaxing, waiting to be taken out to the veld at the end of the storm. However, he said what puzzled him the most was that all of them were motionless.
“I drew closer and was whistling as I normally do each time I take them out for grazing,†said the boy, who is doing Standard Three at the local primary school, Dzakasini.
As he drew closer, he became suspicious and his worst fears were confirmed when he found the goats flung throughout the kraal.
He immediately raised an alarm, drawing the attention of other family members and neighbours, who rushed to the scene.
The head of the family, Andreas Mpunzana Mabuza, was away in South Africa.
Mpunzana, a polygamist, seemingly had invested a lot in livestock and according to his senior wife, Beauty (nee Dlamini), the news of the death of the goats would definitely devastate him.
“My husband is a farmer by nature and has spent a fortune in rearing the goats. I just wonder how he is going to react once he learns about this,†said LaDlamini, who is employed as school secretary at Dzakasini Primary.
LaDlamini said it was likely that the goats were killed anytime between Saturday evening and the early hours of Sunday. She stated that it had been thundering the previous day (Saturday) which is what makes everyone to conclude that nothing but lightning killed the goats.
“We suspect no foul play other than the thunder. We remained indoors because of the storm that also flooded rivers,†she said.
Shepherd “Melusi†Mthethwa, a neighbour and teacher at the same school, told The Swazi Observer that they were all still shaken by what had occurred at the Mabuza homestead.
“We sympathise with the family as livestock is Swazi pride. In particular, in areas just like ours here, we normally depend on animals for survival,†said Mthethwa.
While others expressed their sympathy, others helped the family in skinning the carcasses claiming they would feed the meat to dogs, which was, however, doubtful.
Mafolo Myeni, a local community policeman, said he would give the family a live calf in exchange for the meat he took to cook for his dogs.
The Mabuza family also owns an impressive number of cattle. Police Public Relations Officer Superintendent Vusie Masuku was blank on the matter but asked to be given time to check with the relevant officers.
