Two killed by lightning in KZN

Two people have been killed by lightning in uMzumbe on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast.

A statement by the KZN department of cooperative governance and traditional affairs did not say when the incident happened‚ but said that three others had sustained injuries and were rushed to a local healthcare facility.

"The loss of Nelisiwe Mbhele (21) and Nonhlanhla Mbhele (11) marked a terrible end to what has been a turbulent year for our province. Our communities continue to bear the brunt of bad weather.

“We have dispatched our disaster management teams to meet with the family at this time of grief‚" said MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Nomusa Dube-Ncube.

Dube-Ncube added that her department had placed its disaster management teams on high alert because the province was prone to disasters at this time of the year.

“The department also needs communities to work with its teams and heed their warnings. By doing so‚ KZN can minimise incidents where its residents and visitors to the province lose their lives.”

Dube-Ncube also urged communities in low lying areas to be on alert as thunder showers were expected in many parts of the province this weekend.

Earlier‚ it was reported that two people had drowned in flash floods in the province when they were swept away while trying to cross the surging Mona River in Ndwedwe‚ north of Durban‚ on Saturday night.

The river was in flood after heavy rains fell across the province.

Divers from the police Search and Rescue Unit‚ aided by a specialist search dog‚ searched the riverbank for the pair early on Sunday. Their bodies were discovered entangled in undergrowth a short distance from where they were washed away.

They were reportedly returning from a night out and tried to cross the river on their way home.

Police detectives have registered an inquest docket.

Divers are also searching for another man who went missing after trying to cross the Umhlali River on Saturday night.