The Johannesburg emergency management services (EMS) had their hands full dealing with a sudden hailstorm on Monday.
EMS spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi confirmed on Tuesday that officials had a busy Monday evening attending to damages caused by hail storm.
Sudden storm
The storm, which hit shortly after 6pm on Monday, came as a surprise for many motorists as the region had predominantly sunny skies over the weekend.
The EMS’s Xolile Khumalo said that Johannesburg EMS responded to structural damage at a hotel in Rosebank.
A roof had caved in and one person suffered minor injuries on his left arm and was transported to a nearby hospital.
Many areas north and south of Joburg hit hard
Mulaudzi said that areas that were hit the hardest include Rosebank, Midrand, Marlboro, Braamfontein and most parts of the city.
There were reports of heavy rain and hailstorm in the south of Joburg as well.
Strong hail in Midrand. pic.twitter.com/iY6dMQR2Pl
— MDN NEWS (@MDNnewss) November 13, 2023
“Most reports were about damages on vehicles and flooded households in Marlboro.
“We managed to assist the families to drain water in the areas with the help of communities,” he added.
Hail in Carlswald in Midrand. Hundreds of cars damaged throughout Midrand and surrounding areas. pic.twitter.com/jlNMioDYgr
— Kgoshi Ya Lebowa (@Mothematiks) November 13, 2023
Mulaudzi said that there were no major incidents where fatalities or major injuries were recorded.
However, he vowed that the EMS will stay on high alert monitoring all of the seven regions in the city.
Motorists urged to be cautious
He further pleaded with motorists to exercise caution on the roads during this time.
Mulaudzi urged residents who live in low-lying areas to avoid crossing river streams and keep a close eye on young children during heavy rains.
He detailed a separate incident that the officials attended to in Soweto.
Soweto incident
Mulaudzi said: “There was also an incident in Soweto where a lady fell into a drain pipe.
“She was was assisted by the Gauteng EMS paramedics and later transported to the nearest health facility for medical care.”
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