Sixty-seven families of Masakona, Njanjaka, Tsianda and Ha- Mutsha were left homeless last Wednesday afternoon, after a strong wind and heavy rain damaged their houses and uprooted trees.

During the storm, a 20-year-old resident of Ha-Mutsha was killed by lightning (see report elsewhere in the paper) and two were admitted to the Tshilidzini Hospital for treatment.

Ms Mudalo Musundwa of Ha- Mutsha told Mirror that when the storm hit her village, she was at home with her two children. Together with her children, she tried to remove her furniture during the storm.

Her house´s corrugated roof was badly damaged and some of the sheets, which were part of the roof, were blown away by the strong wind. She is now temporarily living with her neighbours.

According to another victim, Ms Salphina Munyai, her house was severely damaged when the wind swept through the village, leaving everyone trying to take cover. She indicated that her four-roomed house´s windows were smashed in the storm. She added that the walls started to shake and the roof rattled and shook violently. The roof sheets were also torn off.

Members of her family who were in the house assisted each other in scampering to a nearby shack with its roof still intact. As suddenly as it had come, the storm subsided, she added.

The spokesperson of the Makhado Municipality, Mr Louis Bobodi, this week promised to help the affected families and communities. He said that the municipality would make use of the disaster fund to bring relief to those affected. He said that disaster management officials were assessing the damage and would be compiling a report that would help to determine the type of assistance needed.

“We are busy assessing the damage and will assist the victims by giving out blankets and tents for immediate help,” said Bobodi. Last month a storm hit seven villages around the Makhado municipal area. A baby was killed when a wall fell on her and 17 were admitted to hospital with injuries.