Police in KwaZulu-Natal say they have attended to nine drowning incidents in the province since the start of the week.
They have since recovered six bodies, including that of a 27-year-old man and a 14-year-old boy who went missing in separate incidents.
However, they are still searching for three more victims in the northern and southern coasts of the province.
“They were called out to nine drownings in the province, and they managed to recover six bodies so far, and three victims are still outstanding. These three victims were reported drowned at Illovo beach, Nkazuzana river, as well as St Lucia, but our police are still looking for these outstanding victims that have drowned. We’re also appealing to the members of the public to take extra precautions as they are swimming or crossing a flooded river,” says Thulani Zwane.
Meanwhile, the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) Spokesperson Craig Lambinon has urged people to swim within designated areas.
“We urge the public to go to beaches only where and when life guards are on duty. They must obey the instructions of the life guards by swimming within the safety marks that the life guards post within the red flags. We ask parents to make sure their children have responsible adult supervision around all water,” says Lambinon.
