SINTHUMULE - Several families were left homeless and without shelter after a heavy storm struck the villages of Magau, Madombidzha and Tshiozwi on Sunday evening.

No one was reported injured during the storm.

According to reports, electricity cables were damaged and the roofs of numerous houses were smashed.

Ms Ester Raulinga of Madombidzh, one of the victims, indicates that after the storm hit her village, she was at home with family members trying to remove the furniture. Her house’s corrugated roof was badly damaged and some of the sheets that were part of the roof were completely blown away. She is now living with her neighbours temporarily.

On Monday afternoon, villagers were still drying out mattresses, blankets, clothes, furniture and food.

The RDP house of Mr Edward Mamugudubi of Tshiozwi was severely damaged when the wind swept through the village.

The victims complained about the municipality’s lack of compassion with their dilemma. “They failed to come on Monday to assess the damage and officials only arrived on Tuesday after they had been approached by the media for comment.”

“We voted for them to represent us, but they don’t care about us,” said Ester. The chairperson of the Makhado Municipality’s Disaster Committee, Mr Taki Makananisa, said the municipality sympathises with the victims and will help those who were left homeless by providing food parcels.

Makananise further said that at Madombidzha they found eight families, at Tshiozwi five and one at Magau, who were badly affected by the storm.