Durban — A museum was damaged over the weekend when severe weather uprooted a tree which fell onto the building.
Taking to its Facebook page, Talana Museum, outside Dundee in northern KwaZulu-Natal, said that the mini tornado which blew through Dundee and Glencoe on Saturday uprooted trees all across the area.
“At Talana Museum it uprooted a huge gum tree by its roots, which fell across the roof of the First World War exhibit room causing considerable damage. A huge hole in the roof caused great concern for the safety and care of the exhibits inside the building,” Talana Museum said.
“A portion of the ceiling collapsed. Portable display items were moved for protection but the great concern is the very heavy thunderstorms that are happening daily,” it said.
The museum said that water pouring into the building will destroy exhibits.
It said that museum staff and their families cleared portions of the tree allowing access to the hole in the roof so it can be covered.
“To find waterproof covers large enough we used the sides of the museum marquee tent. These were dragged over the roof and the hole and then used the chains and tent pegs to peg and hold the awnings down,” the museum said.
It added that another concern for the board of trustees was to find the money for repairs as fast as possible to protect all the years of research and design of the display panels inside the building.
Roof trusses and other roofing timbers have been snapped like twigs and corrugated iron twisted into amazing shapes that look like children had been playing with and folding and crumpling paper.
Meanwhile, the eThekwini Municipality said that its employees were hard at work revamping the KwaMuhle Museum.
“The municipality is working to ensure that its facilities are well maintained as they provide an important service to communities.”
Daily News