The damage caused by the freak storm — believed by many locals to have been a tornado — which struck the Eastern Cape town of Klipplaat on Wednesday evening has been estimated at R8,4-million.
Unit manager for the Ikwezi municipality, Amos Dyasi, said on Friday that ”350 houses were damaged and the damage caused is estimated at R8,4-million”.
He said local councillors were in a special meeting on Friday morning to urge that Klipplaat be declared a disaster area.
Five people were critically injured and more than 20 sustained minor injuries when the storm descended on the town shortly after 6pm.
The town was busy on Friday morning as uprooted trees and knocked-down telephone poles were being removed and debris was being cleared away.
Police spokesperson Michelle Kleinhans said that the town’s church had been badly damaged, two shops had their roofs torn-off and the local school had half its roof torn-off. – Sapa