Terrifying moment truck and a caravan are blown off a bridge as storm winds hit South Africa

A truck and a caravan were dramatically blown off the same bridge in South Africa by powerful storm winds, terrifying footage has shown.

Several regions in the country's Western Cape were devastated by the storm over the weekend, with trees being ripped out the ground, branches falling dangerously on built-up areas, and roofs being torn off buildings.

Two particularly shocking incidents occurred on a bridge on the N1 highway, near Huguenot Tunnel - around 40 miles east of Cape Town.

The clip of the first incident shows how a truck trailer was blown off the side of the bridge as drivers battled the powerful gusts.

Filmed by someone travelling in a vehicle behind the truck, another trailer can be seen on the road ahead, already on its side having been blown over.

Left: A truck trailer is seen being blown off a bridge in South Africa's Western Cape region, which was hit by powerful storms over the weekend. Right: A caravan is seen disappearing over the side of the same road on Sunday, with other drivers having lost control in the wind

Suddenly, the trailer of another truck behind the felled compartment begins to tilt on to the side near the edge of the bridge as it is caught by the strong winds like a sail.

It wobbles once, and then again - and tilts fully over the bridge's side barrier, flips up-side-down and falls over the side of the overpass.

People assisting the truck that was already on its side in the road ahead can been seen taking cover behind the tipped trailer as the clip cuts out.

A photo taken over the side of the bridge later showed the destroyed trailer, with the goods it was carrying spilled out into the ravine below. 

In a separate, even more shocking video - reportedly from the same stretch of road on Sunday - the winds can be seen wreaking more havoc on drivers.

As a number of cars exit a tunnel, they are seen being hit by the strong winds causing them to careen across the road, with one left perpendicular to the road.

As another SUV is seen with its emergency lights flashing, swerving to avoid debris, a caravan is seen being caught by the win and blown to the edge of the bridge.

As in the first clip, the winds are so strong that the caravan is caught by the gust, tipped over, and blown over the side - vanishing out of sight.

Miraculously, reports from South Africa said there were no fatalities or serious injuries in either incident. Three minor injuries were reported in the first.

A tree is seen being toppled by the strong winds in South Africa

Fallen trees are seen blocking the road in storm-hit South Africa

It appeared in both clips that the two vehicles that were blown off the bridge were being towed, and therefore had no one inside at the time.

As a result of the extreme weather, the bridge was closed for several hours on Sunday, but later reopened.

IOL reported that South African weathers services issues a Level 9 storm warning in the Overberg, Cape Winelands and Helderberg areas on Monday, forcing schools in the region to close.

Western Cape Premier Alan Winde said: 'We have taken a decision to close all schools in the Overberg, Cape Winelands, and Helderberg areas tomorrow'. 

Charlotte Powell, the spokesperson for Disaster Risk Management, said most of the major weather impacts have been wind-related.

She said that roofs had been blown off in several regions, adding that in one area fire had destroyed at least nine properties, and caused rock falls along a main road.

The clips of the vehicles being blown off the bridge came less than two weeks after a horror bus crash in South Africa saw a bus plunge off a bridge into a ravine before bursting into flames - leaving 45 dead and only one survivor, an eight-year-old girl.

The bus driver lost control of the vehicle on March 28 and it smashed through with barriers on a bridge in the northeastern province of Limpopo, according to the transport ministry. 

It landed on a rocky surface some 50 metres below the bridge, which is known as the Mamatlakala Pass, before bursting into flames.

Firefighters at the scene of a bus crash on the R518 in the Waterberg district in Limpopo

Pictures show the wreckage of the bus in flames after it plunged off the bridge

Black smoke engulfed the passenger bus and firefighters were pictured at the scene

The bus plunged into a ravine after the driver lost control of the vehicle and collided with barriers on the bridge

Search operations were ongoing late into Thursday night, the provincial government said

The passenger bus had been transporting pilgrims from neighbouring Botswana, to Moria, a town in Limpopo, for an Easter weekend church service. 

All but one of those on board, including the driver, died. The child who was the sole survivor was seriously injured and has been receiving treatment in hospital.

Search operations were ongoing late into Thursday night, the provincial government said, but many bodies were burned beyond recognition and still trapped inside the wreckage.

The bus had a Botswana licence plate, local authorities said, but the nationalities of the passengers was still being checked.