2 die after being struck by lightning during Gauteng thunderstorms

• A woman was killed in Melville, Johannesburg, on Monday after being struck by lightning.
• In another incident, a man was killed after being hit by lightning in Elandsfontein. 
• The South African Weather Services has issued a warning for thunderstorms in Gauteng.

Severe thunderstorms that hit Gauteng on Monday afternoon have killed two people, after they were struck by lightning in separate incidents.

A woman in her 30s was struck by lightning and subsequently died around 16:30 in Melville, Johannesburg Emergency Management Services (EMS) spokesperson Nana Radebe confirmed to News24.

Radebe said the woman was struck by lightning on the corner of Main and 2^nd road in Melville. She was declared dead at the scene.

Around 16:55 also on Monday, ER24 paramedics arrived on a farm in Elandsfontein, near Alberton, where a man in his late 30s was struck and killed by lightning.

ER24 spokesperson Russel Meiring said paramedics found the man lying motionless in a field surrounded by his colleagues.

"Medics assessed the man and found that he had shown [sic] no signs of life. Unfortunately, nothing could be done for him, and he was declared dead," Meiring said.

Warning

The South African Weather Service has issued a warning for severe thunderstorms in Gauteng until late on Monday, and further warned of possible flooding, especially in low-lying areas, hail, and reduced visibility on the roads.

It warned that localised flooding and flash-flooding was expected during peak traffic in Gauteng and the evening.  

The report from SAWS also noted that excessive lightning may result in power surges and instructed residents to try to seek shelter indoors away from metal structures during the storm.

Flooding

By Monday afternoon, Radebe said they had received reports of localised flooding, and that the M1 highway near New Town was flooded leading to its closure.

It has since been drained and reopened.

There were also reports of trees blown over in Florida and Roodepoort.

Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department spokesperson Wayne Minnaar told News24 that flooding was also reported on Klipspruit Valley Road in Soweto.

Ekurhuleni EMS spokesperson William Ntladi said no flooding or other incidents related to the thunderstorm had been reported by Monday evening.

Tshwane EMS spokesperson, Charles Mabaso said that had not received any reports of floods, but were monitoring areas prone to flooding.