Clean-up underway after severe storm floods Zululand hospital

Mop-up operations are underway at the Itshelejuba Hospital in the Zululand region of KwaZulu-Natal after it was hit by a severe thunderstorm on Sunday.

The provincial health department said the hospital had been flooded by heavy rain and hail. Vehicles had also been damaged.

"Since this morning [Monday], management and staff of the hospital, as well as the district maintenance team, have been working tirelessly to clear the debris and water in the flooded areas," said the department.

The hospital's operating theatre, casualty section, outpatient department (OPD), medical ward, TB ward, maternity gateway clinic, staff accommodation and emergency medical services base had all been affected.

An ambulance and the perimeter fence were also damaged.

The operating theatre had to be closed on Monday and might only be ready for use on Wednesday. The gateway clinic and OPD have already resumed working as normal.

Alternative arrangements have been made to send patients to Vryheid and Benedictine hospitals.

"The department wishes to apologise to the public for any inconvenience caused by this unforeseen act of nature and wishes to thank staff for their assistance in helping to return services to normal as quickly as possible," added the department.

Meanwhile, the provincial department of cooperative governance and traditional affairs (Cogta) said on Monday that teams had been dispatched to Nkelebantwana, in Bulwer in the KZN Midlands, where strong winds destroyed houses and left many families without shelter.

Several people were injured and had to be treated at nearby health facilities. Electricity to the area was also cut off.

Other areas affected by the storm include Vryheid, Nongoma, Phongola, Jozini and uMhlabuyalingana in northern KZN.