At least 20 people injured as tornado hits Johannesburg

At least 20 people were injured in a tornado that battered the City of Ekurhuleni on the East Rand, Johannesburg on Tuesday afternoon. Various units dispersed to respond to emergencies  have identified damages at a hospital‚ a mall and a garage. Ekurhuleni metro police spokesperson Captain Superintendent Wilfred Kgasago said that a “very strong tornado” passed through Tembisa at 4pm on Tuesday afternoon and that three places were affected – Phumulani Mall in Winnie Mandela section‚ Tembisa Hospital and a Total garage‚ both in Hospital View. The Gauteng Health Department said that about 20 people injured at the Phumulani Mall had been transferred to the Tembisa hospital.

Although there had been no injuries to staff or patients at the hospital‚ it said that the hospital’s fence‚ carports‚ about 20 vehicles belonging to employees‚ including three ambulances‚ and the roof of one building had been destroyed. Trees had also been uprooted.
“The hospital is currently attending to people who were injured at the destroyed Phumulani Mall in Tembisa‚ about 20 people have been transferred to the hospital. We have dispatched ambulances from neighbouring areas to assist the hospital accordingly.”