Various units dispersed to respond to emergencies‚ after a tornado struck the City of Ekurhuleni‚ have identified damages at a hospital‚ a mall and a garage.
Ekurhuleni metro police spokesperson Captain Superintendent Wilfred Kgasago said that a “very strong tornado” passed through Tembisa at 4pm on Tuesday afternoon and that three places were affected — Phumulani Mall in Winnie Mandela section‚ Tembisa Hospital and a Total garage‚ both in Hospital View.
The Gauteng Health Department said that about 20 people injured at the Phumulani Mall had been transferred to the Tembisa hospital.
Although there had been no injuries to staff or patients at the hospital‚ it said that the hospital’s fence‚ carports‚ about 20 vehicles belonging to employees‚ including three ambulances‚ and the roof of one building had been destroyed. Trees had also been uprooted.
“The hospital is currently attending to people who were injured at the destroyed Phumulani Mall in Tembisa‚ about 20 people have been transferred to the hospital. We have dispatched ambulances from neighbouring areas to assist the hospital accordingly.”
Earlier‚ Ekurhuleni mayoral spokesperson Zweli Dlamini said the city had already dispersed all is personnel following an alert issued by the SA Weather Service.
Dlamini said the teams‚ which include metro police‚ disaster management and emergency services would provide information to the city‚ which will then decide whether to declare disaster status in Tembisa.
