ELECTIONS ALMOST SPOILED BY WINDSTORM

MBABANE – The windstorm which wreaked havoc in several areas in different parts of the country almost spoiled the primary elections held yesterday.

This is because some of the polling stations were not spared as they were damaged. As a result, the voting exercise had to be delayed for a few hours as officers from the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) tried to set up. Meanwhile, the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) provided a situational report on the storm. The report reflected that about 81 households and 388 people were affected in different parts of the country.

affected

About 388 people were affected. In the report, the NDMA outlined that the storm affected mostly the Manzini and Hhohho regions, causing significant damage to homes.
“The windstorm was characterised by strong gusts of wind exceeding 100 kilometres per hour and lasted for several hours, impacting multiple communities across the country,” it was stated in the report. The NDMA said together with the Baphalali Eswatini Red Cross Society (BERCS), it was currently conducting a rapid assessment to determine the impact of the ongoing rainfall in all affected areas and to identify appropriate response interventions.

Situational overview

It was highlighted that the winds caused significant damage to infrastructure, including buildings, roads, and power lines. “Many homes and public buildings have been severely damaged, with roofs torn off while fallen trees and debris affected transportation routes. The windstorm also disrupted the power grid, leaving many areas without electricity. This has caused numerous challenges for those affected, including the loss of communication and the inability to refrigerate perishable goods. The affected families are in a difficult situation and urgent action is needed to provide temporary shelters and restore the power grid,” the NDMA said.

Some of the affected constituencies included Lobamba, Hhukwini, Nkomiyahlaba, Madlangampisi, Ndzingeni, Motshane, Mkhiweni, Kukhanyeni, Ludzelundze, Nkhaba and Mbabane West. The NDMA said it was working together with non-governmental organisations and civil society organisations to coordinate emergency response efforts and provide immediate assistance to those affected by the disaster. “So far, 15 tarpaulins have been distributed to affected households and the rapid assessment is still ongoing,” said NDMA.

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