[imagesource:twitter]

Flooding in Cape Town, an earthquake in Gauteng, and now a tornado in KwaZulu-Natal. It’s as if nature is trying to tell us something.

Two people suffered minor injuries after a tornado swept through Inanda Valley in KwaZulu-Natal on Tuesday afternoon, causing extensive damage to homes and other buildings.

The SA Weather Service said that the storm had developed from the coastal part of Durban at around 13:00, per News24, and had “cycled around”, in that it was “not moving forward or backwards” until about 14:00.”

SAWS added for any incredulous onlookers that “It moved over to the land and produced a tornado. Yes, that is a tornado.”

As soon as it was fully formed, it began ripping things up:

Durban – Mini #Tornado event in the Bhambayi area ( between Inanda and Phoenix) pic.twitter.com/6q2ppYAynj

— TrafficSA (@TrafficSA) June 27, 2023

🚨 BREAKING NEWS: Tornado rips through Durban’s Inanda Township, demolishing homes & displacing countless residents as heavy rains and winds continue to batter the area. Heartbreaking scenes unfold as hundreds of people are left homeless. #DurbanTornado #Warning pic.twitter.com/xjZQuhYUZ5

— MisuZulu (@misu_zulu) June 27, 2023

Emergency Services, Robert McKenzie, confirmed that two people were hospitalised for minor injuries as they were overturned in a container that they were in at the time when the whirling winds hit. “There is extensive infrastructure damage to houses in the area,” he said.

Tornado! Nanda, Durban. pic.twitter.com/4JWQGZO7Rb

— Man’s NOT Barry Roux  (@AdvoBarryRoux) June 27, 2023

Let’s spare a thought for people in Inanda in Durban. A tornado 🌪️ is no joke #durban #inanda #tornado pic.twitter.com/aFVIG5IZ5E

— Boni Mthiyane (@bonimthiyane) June 28, 2023

Parts of the province have been battered by torrential rain and destructive wind, with the weather service urging KwaZulu-Natal residents to seek shelter, batten down the hatches, and stay in safe zones.

The weather service said the heavy rain would result in flooding and urged residents to avoid low-lying areas. It also warned against starting fires.

The Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs warned that mud houses were at high risk.

The department also said that it activated the disaster management service to assist residents in affected areas.

All in all, it’s as if nature is trying to warn us of the disbalance in the world. The major alarm bells began ringing with the COVID-19 pandemic, and ever since, the world has been witnessing the chasm between the rich and the poor ever deepen, noticing how money, resources, and effort are consistently channeled toward the wealthy while those in poverty struggle.

Some world leaders are calling for “financial shock”, admitting that the current global system of lending and borrowing between the ‘wealthy’ West and the ‘poor’ South is not working and needs to be reimagined.

The effects of this divide are being felt quite heavily in our country.

[source:news24]