Severe storms that ripped through northern KwaZulu-Natal have claimed three lives‚ including a child and a man who is believed to be a doctor.

The “tornado-like” storm left a trail of destruction in its wake‚ uprooting trees‚ flooding homes and taking down power lines since it hit the area from Friday.

Police search and rescue units are still searching for two missing children.

The Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs said police confirmed on Sunday that three bodies had been recovered at Overdale Farm in Dundee.

“The bodies were recovered following a massive storm that has been battering the areas of Dundee‚ Ladysmith and Newcastle since Thursday last week.

“The first body of Snethemba Nxumalo‚ 31‚ was found next to the river bank. The second body of Sakheni Ncube‚ 38‚ who is believed to be a doctor was also found floating in the river. The last body of Ayabonga Steele‚ 9‚ was recovered at Ohlanga river also in Dundee‚” said Cogta MEC Nomusa Dube-Ncube.

“We urge the public to be careful as more severe thunderstorms are predicted‚ more especially in northern parts of our province and along the berg.

“We are not taking any chances‚ hence we activated our disaster management teams at the beginning of this summer. We appeal to the public to heed our warnings via radio at all times to minimise disasters‚” said Dube-Ncube.