Reef mops up after freak storm

2005-09-27 22:42

Christel Raubenheimer

Pretoria - Large-scale mopping up has started in the city after high winds blew roofs off houses and toppled trees on Monday night.

The power supply also was interrupted.

The Tshwane metro council said extensive damage had been done to electricity supply sources across a large area.

Residents in Wolmer, Wonderboom, the area surrounding Wonderboom Airport, Zandkloof and Zwartkop in Centurion especially were affected by power problems.

However, the storm and wind caused most damage in Hartbeespoort.

On Tuesday, broken branches were sawn off and electricity poles were being replanted.

Workers of the metro council's department of energy and electricity started repair work early on Tuesday.

The council asked people to ensure they had reported power problems and that they had obtained a reference number for these.

Corrugated iron in busy street

At Super 10, a furniture store in Church Street, workers had to saw off a billboard after a piece of corrugated iron from the roof of a block of flats had almost bent it double.

Part of this roof flew about 100m through the air and landed in Church Street on Monday afternoon, said Daniel da Silva, a manager at Super 10.

He said they had to help redirect traffic after the busy road had been blocked by a sheet of corrugated iron.

Another huge part of the roof landed in the back yard of a neigbouring house also belonging to the shop owners.

They battled early on Tuesday to pull it out of the yard.

Residents of the Carasunata block of flats that lost its roof, were mostly not at home on Tuesday. They had found shelter with family and friends.

Abigail Ramohlale, whose flat escaped being damaged, described the wind as a "tsunami wind".

Plans in place for disasters

Her neighbour, Joey Mojela, said he was storing some of his neighbours' furniture and electronic equipment in his flat.

"We are trying to help each other."

Johan Pieterse of Tshwane emergency services, said the council had an extensive plan in place if a natural disaster, such as a flood, storm or earthquake, hit the city.

He said several places, such as school halls and churches, had been identified to provide shelter for homeless people in the event of such a disaster.

- Beeld