By: Natasha Archary
A lightning strike in Ixopo, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) killed three people, including two children on Wednesday.
Inclement weather in the province has been posing risks including flooding and now loss of life.
Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, MEC for KZN Sipho Hlomuka, said the tragedy occurred when lightning struck a home.
The 69-year old woman was a pensioner who was taking care of her two grandchildren aged 10 and 13-years old.
A fourth person was injured in the lightning strike and was taken to hospital for treatment.
People are warned to heed weather warnings from the South African Weather Services.
Severe storms in KZN has wrecked havoc over the past week, uprooting trees, and damaging infrastructure.
Lightning storms are particularly dangerous as it can also cause fires and strike down trees.
While the odds of being struck by lightning is, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in a million, some factors can put you at greater risk.
Regional and seasonal differences can also affect your risk of being injured by lightning.
Florida in the US is considered “lightning capital” with 2000 lightning related injuries over the past 50-years.
KwaZulu-Natal will experience more thunderstorms on Friday, with rainfall expected throughout the province.
Kwazulu Natal Tomorrow 's Weather overview: 25.3.2022 pic.twitter.com/UIn2d9uMBQ
— SA Weather Service (@SAWeatherServic) March 24, 2022



