Times Of Swaziland: STORM, STRONG WINDS WREAK HAVOC IN SOME PARTS OF THE COUNTRY

STORM, STRONG WINDS WREAK HAVOC IN SOME PARTS OF THE COUNTRY
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Joseph Zulu on 07/12/2024 08:03:00


MALINDZA – Hundreds of emaSwati in the Malindza community were forced to forgo
sleep in the comfort of their homes as strong winds swept through the area.
This unfortunate situation has affected residents of a community that previously
existed where King Mswati III International Airport now stands at Sikhuphe. On
Thursday afternoon, powerful winds damaged numerous houses, resulting in lost
roofing, broken windows and damaged doors. Some residents suffered significant
losses, including an elderly woman whose house, built with her hard-earned money
from working in neighbouring South Africa, was completely destroyed. “She is
now living in a tent,” reported Moses Dlamini, the area’s Bucopho.
Damaged
Worth noting, most of the damaged  houses lost their roofing during the storm
and it was reported in the Times Daily publication that the best way to avoid
having your roof blown  away  during a storm is by making sure to use hoop irons
in your roofing. These are commonly known as lihhubula in siSwati and only cost
E54 each at hardware stores. These iron hoops help to fasten and hold the roof
in place even when faced with heavy storms.
Dlamini described the situation as devastating, noting that at least 23
homesteads were affected by the destructive weather. He expressed gratitude to
the Baphalali Red Cross, which collaborates with the National Disaster
Management Agency (NDMA); by saying that without their assistance, the residents
would have been in a much worse predicament.