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Buffalo City Metro reported a second fatality as a result of strong winds that lashed parts of the Eastern Cape over the weekend.
City spokesperson, Samkelo Ngwenya, said the second incident occurred in Stoney Drift in Amalinda on Sunday when a tree fell onto a shack in which two young men were sleeping, killing one of them.
He said this followed an earlier incident when an elderly woman died in Ward 22 when a wall, together with the room of the home she was in, collapsed.
Ngwenya said out of the 50 wards in Buffalo City Metro, 28 were affected by the strong gale-force winds and persistent rain that started in the early hours of Sunday morning.
“The most severe impact is related to houses destroyed or roofs blown away, electricity outages, and blocked roads due to fallen trees,” he said.
Ngwenya says BCM’s multi-stakeholder teams will be busy throughout the day on Monday, conducting damage assessments, visiting affected households for needs assessments, and developing a situational report.
He said the Amatola Water Board is reporting that the water supply has been affected in eQonce, Bhisho, and surrounding villages.
“Eskom is aware of the water plants that are affected by power interruptions due to the winds and these are receiving priority. The Metro is trying to assist with water tankers in affected areas,” he added.
