The death toll from this week’s devastating floods in KwaZulu-Natal has now risen to 59.
At least 45 people have been reported dead in eThekwini.
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Death toll rises to 59 in #KZNFloods, according to the Kwazulu Natal Provincial Government.#SABCNEWS pic.twitter.com/IkG5FdZJtT
— Chriselda ‘Babes We Ndaba’ Lewis (@Chriseldalewis) April 12, 2022
WATCH: #KZNFloods cause damage, destruction across parts of the province
SABC Digital News Producer Skhangiwe Mthiyane captured some of the footage in the KwaZulu-Natal earlier on Tuesday following heavy rains and flooding. pic.twitter.com/nHTzywOzU0
— SABC News (@SABCNews) April 12, 2022
A family at Hammarsdale west of Durban, tragically lost five members including a two-year-old child when their house collapsed in on them following a mudslide.
Lindiwe Jilika lost her 37-year-old daughter and four grandchildren: “I heard a loud bang as if there was a earthquake. I think that’s when the wall was collapsing. When I went to check, I found the wall on top of my children. It was my daughter and four grandchildren.”
KZN Premier Sihle Zikalala has visited some of the affected families and pledged government’s support: “We are with all the families that had been affected we will try to support them through psycho social support which requires intense engagement. We will provide material support and we will get shelter and food.”
Meanwhile, the South African Weather Service says heavy rains are expected to continue along the coastal parts of the province in areas such as eThekwini Metro and the Ugu and iLembe districts.
Disaster management teams and emergency services continue to work around the clock to rescue affected communities.
eThekwini mayor Mxolisi Kaunda says several power stations have also been affected by the storms, leaving many communities without water and electricity.
Kaunda said they could not yet quantify the extent of the damage.
