Johannesburg– At least two people were injured on Tuesday afternoon after a tornado ripped through Phumlani Mall in Tembisa on the East Rand, collapsing the roof of the mall and damaging shops.
Month-end shoppers were left shocked and police rushed to the scene. The tornado also tore through the roof of Tembisa hospital and a filling station in the township.
Spokesperson for eKurhuleni metro police department, Wilfred Kgasago, said a search and rescue team was combing through the rubble at Phumlani Mall and searching for injured people.
“At around 4pm this afternoon, a tornado hit Tembisa and damaged roofs at Phumlani Mall, Tembisa Hospital and at Total garage on RTJ Mamani Road,” Kgasago said.
“According to information at out disposal, two people were reported injured at the mall and our search and rescue teams are currently rummaging through the rubble searching for survivors.”
Kgasago said no casualties had been reported so far.
He said that at Tembisa Hospital, the tornado damaged the car ports and “a number of parked cars”.
“We have not got more information about the extent of damage caused at the Total garage but we got a report that the roof was also ripped off there,” Kgasago said.
“The whirlwind has gone in the direction of Bronkhorstspruit and we will be trying to establish how many people are injured.”
The South African Weather Services warned that the country would suffer from stormy winter weather this week, with heavy rains and snowfalls forecast in KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape and Western Cape.
African News Agency