Devastating storm rips through Augrabies, leaving trail of destruction

A POWERFUL storm swept through Augrabies in the Northern Cape on February 4, bringing violent winds, thick dust clouds, and heavy rain.

The extreme weather caused widespread destruction, damaging homes, public buildings, and infrastructure, leaving some residents stranded without shelter.

This comes after the South African Weather Service (Saws) issued a severe weather warning for severe thunderstorms, hail and heavy downpours in parts of the country.

"A Yellow Level 2 warning for thunderstorms resulting in hail, heavy rains and strong damaging winds is issued for the southern parts of Gauteng and Mpumalanga, the western parts of KwaZulu-Natal, eastern Free State, as well as the central and western parts of North West," Saws said.

Eyewitness accounts described the storm as an intense weather event, with some Facebook users even suggesting that it may have been a “cyclone”.

According to AccuWeather, temperatures in Augrabies had soared to 39°C earlier in the day, before the sudden turn in weather conditions.

Local residents took to social media to share images and videos of the destruction, with descriptions of homes losing their roofs, buildings suffering severe damage, and debris scattered across affected areas.

"Absolute chaos in various parts of Augrabies," read one post, highlighting the severity of the storm and its impact on the community.

Another witness, Donovan Montgomery, reported that severe winds and heavy rain had left many homes uninhabitable.

Community members and local organisations have called for assistance, urging those who can help displaced residents.

"Let's support our fellow community members affected by the storm and assist with any help needed," a post from the Augrabies Community Facebook Group stated.

While there have been no confirmed reports of casualties, the extent of the damage remains unclear. Relief efforts are expected to be organised in the coming days to assist affected families.