Freak Storm Turns Pietermaritzburg Roads into Rivers, with Hail and Heavy Rains
A freak storm pelted Pietermaritzburg in KZN, South Africa, yesterday afternoon at around 15h30, causing localised flooding and damage. The severe thunderstorm – with heavy rains and large golfball-sized hail – lasted half an hour, but left lasting damage. Some trees and power lines fell, parts of roofs were blown off and windows and vehicles […]
A freak storm pelted Pietermaritzburg in KZN, South Africa, yesterday afternoon at around 15h30, causing localised flooding and damage.
The severe thunderstorm – with heavy rains and large golfball-sized hail – lasted half an hour, but left lasting damage. Some trees and power lines fell, parts of roofs were blown off and windows and vehicles were damaged by the hail. Traffic guru Rob Beezy posted footage of roads awash with water and said “Pietermaritzburg: when the roads became rivers”.
Businesses were forced to close with the South Africa Post Office tweeting that “due to heavy rain and flooding experienced in Pietermaritzburg (yesterday), the Mayor’s Walk and Pietermaritzburg post office branches will not be operating (today) 23/12/2021.”
Extreme Weather posted a video on YouTube calling it a “terrible storm”. The weather site said that the flooding was “aggravated by the clogging of the storm sewer in Pietermaritztburg”.
Msunduzi Municipality told the Witness that drainage blockages are being attended to, and confirmed that a few houses have been damaged but that full assessments were still needed.
WATCH Videos of Pietermaritzburg’s flash thunderstorm
KZN – Pietermaritzburg: when the roads became rivers pic.twitter.com/dy4PxG8Sma
— TrafficSA (@TrafficSA) December 22, 2021
Sheldon sent in this video of heavy hail in Pietermaritzburg pic.twitter.com/1bC2AsMfLK
— Storm Report SA (@StormReportSA1) December 22, 2021
Groot hael skade in Pietermaritzburg 'n uur terug
📸Ekhard Volker@SAWeatherServic @JoelGuy_ @maroelamedia @VoxWeatherZa @peoples_weather @CityOfChoiceZA pic.twitter.com/DdZ0m12g5S— ReenvalSA (@ReenvalSA) December 22, 2021
Pietermaritzburg 😱😱😱 pic.twitter.com/0cZQrY3X3V
— 🇵🇹❤Mbali KaRonaldo𓃵❤️🇵🇹 (@kaRonaldo_Entle) December 22, 2021
Helen sent in this video of Pietermaritzburg hail storm. Mostly golf ball size. pic.twitter.com/qBaCqOcRac
— Storm Report SA (@StormReportSA1) December 22, 2021
After a hectic rain and hail storm in Pietermaritzburg. [Video received] https://t.co/GAqBfGxHmv #ArriveAlive @ReenvalSA @SAWeatherServic @afriwx pic.twitter.com/J9AI4MpXkh
— Arrive Alive (@_ArriveAlive) December 22, 2021
#sabcnews #sabckzn Video Credit : supplied. A number of roads had fallen trees with muddy water forced closure some of the roads in Pietermaritzburg CBD. pic.twitter.com/1HkDaCJ6QA
— Nonkululeko Hlophe (@Leko3) December 22, 2021
There has been severe damage in the great City of Pietermaritzburg this afternoon after a severe storm ripped through it…praying for everyone's safety🙏🏾 pic.twitter.com/z9VROFNELS
— Poverty is all I know (@Qhu_di) December 22, 2021