Just when you least expect it – On Saturday, 27th March 2021, at approximately 21:30 a brutal wind blew in, giving no precursor or warning.
The weather radar had no indication of such adverse weather, and the local residents were enjoying a lovely, peaceful, and calm evening. Coming in from the south it hit with speed and ferocity and was accompanied by some rain. The lightning in the distant mountains gave no hint of the unseen threat about to wreak havoc and instill fear in those in its path.
Early the next morning the Orpen Gate road, it looked as if a herd of angry elephants had passed through, destroying any low hanging branches and pushing over trees that got in their way.
Arriving in the Manyaleti Reserve and were met by a visible channel of destruction that had borne the brunt of the trail of destruction the night before. We were told this tornado that came up suddenly, with winds over 100km per hour! Veld grasses were flattened, branches were torn off trees, while others uprooted. Some trees were simply snapped in half like matchsticks! Some of the electricity poles were blown over, plunging homes into darkness.
The winds had already torn into the settlements of Welverdiend and Hluvukani, blowing roofs off houses, collapsing walls, and inflicting injury on many people. Medical staff was called in to attend to the injured at the nearby Tintswalo Hospital.
Residents in Welverdind and Hluvukani, spent Sunday trying to repair the damage to their homes and shops.
Incredibly Tintswalo Safari Lodge was left unscathed, the residents oblivious to the carnage being perpetrated around them. Other camps were not so fortunate and there are stories of tents being blown away with serious damage done to buildings, equipment, and vehicles. A FGASA assessor, Pieter Dunn, who was on assignment in the Manyaleti at the time and said “he had never experienced a wind with such force before. It was very frightening being alone in the camp and being totally helpless as havoc ensued around me.” It seems the “tornado” dissipated once it had crossed the Orpen Road, although the nearby Wildlife College experienced strong winds, no damage was inflicted there.
The SA Weather Service had issued a Level 2 warning of severe thunderstorms for the area but had no knowledge of this occurrence and our query was the first they had received of this incident on Saturday night. SAWS is investigating this seemingly localized phenomenon but to date, there has been no further response from them.
