All train services suspended in KZN due to floods

All train services in KwaZulu-Natal have been suspended due to heavy rains in the province.

In a statement, the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) says mudslides have covered many of its train lines across KwaZulu-Natal and this is making it impossible for trains to safely pass through the affected areas.

Prasa says it will continue to monitor the situation in KwaZulu-Natal where heavy rains have caused floods in many areas.

Port of Durban

Meanwhile, operations have also been suspended at the Port of Durban. Transnet spokesperson Ayanda Shezi says engineering teams will assess the extent of the damage before operations resume.

“Heavy rains have damaged the road infrastructure into the port of Durban which is making access into the terminals a challenge. As a precautionary measure, operations across the terminal have been temporarily stopped. The command centre has been set up with TNPA; the operators and our customers to monitor activities. The safety of our employees remains critical, so before full operations can resume we’ll need to ensure that all the necessary safety inspections have been conducted.”

Emergency services placed on high alert:

Meanwhile, flights in and out of Durban’s King Shaka International Airport are continuing. The Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) spokesperson Gopolang Peme says heavy rains have only caused minimal damage to some sections of the airport.

“Repairs and recovery processes are currently underway to restore the infrastructure. The airport’s management team has activated business continuity plans to sustain airport operations and as a result, we do not expect flight delays, if any they will be at an absolute minimum.”

“Passenger and aircraft processing proceeds as normal without compromising the safety of our passengers. We urge all passengers and airport users to exercise extra caution when making their way to the airport as major routes in Durban are flooded,” explains Peme.

The video below is reporting on floods in KZN: