Floods in South Africa’s Durban area kill more than 300

world
Floods In South Africa’s Durban Area Kill More Than 300
Stranded people stand in front of a bridge that was swept away in Ntuzuma, outside Durban, South Africa, © AP/Press Association Images
Share this article

By Mogomotsi Magome, Associated Press

Heavy rains and flooding have killed at least 306 people in South Africa’s eastern KwaZulu-Natal province, including the city of Durban, and more rainstorms are forecast in the coming days.

The death toll is expected to rise as scores of people, including whole families, are missing, officials said.

Advertisement

The persistent rains have wreaked havoc in the province, destroying homes, collapsing buildings and washing away major roads.

The damage to Durban and the surrounding eThekwini metropolitan area is estimated at 52 million dollars (£40 million), eThekwini mayor Mxolosi Kaunda said.


The Vishnu Hindu Temple was severely damaged by flooding on Mhlathuzana river in Chatsworth, outside Durban, South Africa
The Vishnu Hindu Temple was severely damaged by flooding on Mhlathuzana river in Chatsworth, outside Durban (AP)

Advertisement

At least 120 schools have been flooded, causing damage estimated at more than 26 million dollars (£20 million) and forcing officials to temporarily close all schools in the province.

At least 18 students and one teacher from various schools have died in the floods, education minister Angie Motshekga said.

“This is a catastrophe and the damage is unprecedented. What is even more worrying is that more rain is expected in the same areas that are already affected,” Ms Motshekga said in a statement.

Police used stun grenades to disperse residents in the Reservoir Hills areas of Durban who were protesting over what they said was the lack of official assistance, according to South African media reports.

Advertisement

The South African National Defence Force has deployed troops to assist with rescue and mop-up operations.


South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa, left, speaks to various grieving family members as part of his visit and assessing the damage following the heavy rainfall which resulted in roads collapsing, properties damaged and lives lost outside of Durban, South Africa
South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa, left, speaks to grieving family members outside Durban (Kopano Tlape/South African Government Communication and Information Services via AP)

The floods have knocked out water and electricity to large parts of Durban and the surrounding eThekwini metropolitan area and it will take at least a week to restore those services, according to officials.

Advertisement

President Cyril Ramaphosa is convening an emergency cabinet meeting to declare the floods a national disaster so that funds can be released to help repair the damage.

He visited several areas hit by the floods and mudslides on Wednesday.

Fourteen crocodiles that were swept away from a farm in the Tongaat area north of Durban have been recaptured, according to wildlife officials.

Read More

Message submitting... Thank you for waiting.

Want us to email you top stories each lunch time?

Download our Apps
© BreakingNews.ie 2024, developed by Square1 and powered by PublisherPlus.com