'I tried to resuscitate her' - Tongaat man's tragic account
A Tongaat man has told East Coast Breakfast about the heartbreaking moment he lost his wife when Monday's tornado destroyed their home.
In one minute, everything stopped; the entire house was completely wrecked.
On Monday afternoon, large parts of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) were battered by damaging winds and torrential rain. Some areas, particularly in Tongaat, were devastated by a wedge tornado.
The East Coast Breakfast team, in collaboration with The Gift of the Givers, hosted a first-of-its-kind 'WhatsAppathon' on Friday morning. The event was broadcast live from the Vishwaroop Temple in the Tongaat area to raise funds for those affected.
One Tongaat resident, Viven Gounden, (pictured below) joined the East Coast Breakfast team to share his story. He told the team how his wife, Rennisha, died after the collapse of their home.
According to Gounden, he managed to shield his seven-year-old son, but the strong winds caused the ceiling to collapse.
"In one minute, everything stopped; the entire house was completely wrecked."
As a nurse, Gounden immediately attempted to resuscitate his wife, but was unable to sustain his efforts due to the severity of her injuries.
Listen to the interview at the top of the page, or directly below.
Read More: Tongaat resident: "The devastation to our community is severe"
Meanwhile, by 9AM on Friday, almost R500 000 had been raised in the WhatsAppathon.
Earlier in the week, ECR Newswatch visited the affected area. An emotional Tongaat resident told Newswatch her sister and niece were hospitalised after their house crumbled around them. Listen below.
A homeowner in Seatide, La Mercy, described to ECR Newswatch what he heard when the tornado hit. Listen below.
More on East Coast Radio:
Here are some of the heartbreaking scenes shared by East Coasters from Tongaat:
Tornado: Tongaat area, KZN. pic.twitter.com/kGxvBtHVuG
— Yusuf Abramjee (@Abramjee) June 3, 2024
KZN - Storm Conditions: #Tornado type system at Newcastle pic.twitter.com/w3OQOQrc1V
— TrafficSA (@TrafficSA) June 3, 2024
Our thoughts with those affected by the Tornado in Tongaat and surrounding areas in KZN https://t.co/VDIvWzZWUu #ArriveAlive @ReenvalSA @afriwx @Dotransport @rtia_aarto @TrafficRTMC @kzngov pic.twitter.com/IBMjvj1T1o
— Arrive Alive (@_ArriveAlive) June 3, 2024
KZN - Storm Conditions: #Hailstorm arriving in Tongaat area pic.twitter.com/50uCbhdon7
— TrafficSA (@TrafficSA) June 3, 2024
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