Tropical Storm Eloise Moves Away from SA

By: Bongani Gina and Mfundo Mabaso

COGTA Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma says although cyclone Eloise has finally moved away from this country and off to Botswana, weather specialists are warning that heavy rains and strong winds may still return.

Dlamini-Zuma has been briefing the media on the disaster response measures and damage caused by the storm.

The tropical rains experienced in the three provinces, KwaZulu-Natal,  Limpopo, Mpumalanga , over the weekend were a culmination of Cyclone Eloise, which began in the Indian Ocean in Mozambique last week.

She says people should still be on high alert and government is now in the process of assessing the damage.

“Families that needed to be helped have been helped but we are assessing the damage in all the districts that been affected, so that we can activate short-term measures to assist and relieve the pressure,” explains Dlamini-Zuma.

Meanwhile KwaZulu-Natal COGTA MEC, Sipho Hlomuka, says provincial and districts disaster management teams are still on standby to make sure that all households affected by the storms have shelter.

Hlomuka says the province has recorded one fatality and about 100 homes have been affected by the storm, mostly at the uMkhanyakude District, in the north of the province.