VIDEO: Tornado rips through Tongaat in KwaZulu-Natal

A tornado struck Tongaat on the KwaZulu-Natal North Coast causing extensive damage on Monday afternoon.

IPSS emergency services said its medical and search and rescue teams have been deployed to the area following reports of a tornado in the area.

At the time of publishing it’s unclear if there have been been fatalities.

Meanwhile, the eThekwini Municipality has urged the public to take note of a weather warning issued by the South African Weather Services (SAWS).

The municipality said the forecast is for persistent heavy rainfall over the province including the eThekwini region.

“This level 4 warning may result in flooding of roads and settlements, damage to infrastructure, and destruction of mud-based houses. Higher rain intensities are expected along the coastal regions of eThekwini.

“Motorists are urged to exercise extreme caution and maintain a safe following distance while driving on wet roads. Forecasts show a high probability of moderate to high rainfall between midday today, and 23:00 tonight,” the municipality said.

The municipality also advised residents to exercise caution, to stay indoors if possible, avoid travelling unless absolutely necessary and to not attempt to cross rivers and streams.