KZN Floods
Clean up operations begin after heavy rains caused flood damage in Marianridge, Durban, South Africa, April 12, 2022. REUTERS/Rogan Ward TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

Home » WATCH Devastating KZN Floods Leave Over 45 Dead, Plus How You Can Help

WATCH Devastating KZN Floods Leave Over 45 Dead, Plus How You Can Help

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – At least 45 people were killed, with some reports saying 59, after Monday’s intensely heavy rainfall in South Africa’s province of KwaZulu-Natal flooded settlements, ravaged homes, swept away roads and displaced dozens, officials said. (Videos at bottom of page.) UPDATE WED 13 APRIL: the KZN Floods Death Toll has tragically reached 306. […]

By SAPeople
13-04-22 22:51
in Eish!
KZN Floods
Clean up operations begin after heavy rains caused flood damage in Marianridge, Durban, South Africa, April 12, 2022. REUTERS/Rogan Ward TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – At least 45 people were killed, with some reports saying 59, after Monday’s intensely heavy rainfall in South Africa’s province of KwaZulu-Natal flooded settlements, ravaged homes, swept away roads and displaced dozens, officials said. (Videos at bottom of page.) UPDATE WED 13 APRIL: the KZN Floods Death Toll has tragically reached 306.

KZN Floods
A woman stands at her front door after heavy rains caused flood damage in KwaNdengezi, Durban, South Africa, April 12, 2022. REUTERS/Rogan Ward

The provincial government, which confirmed the number of dead, said in a statement the death toll could rise further. The deaths include at least seven students and a teacher near Pinetown and Umzinyuthi. More than 50 people are also missing – in eThekwini and iLembe.

Disaster management teams were evacuating people in areas where mudslides occurred and where buildings had collapsed, the province’s department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) said.

Dozens of homes were washed away and several roads had caved in, hampering transportation and rescue operations. People were seen carrying some salvaged possessions to safer places as muddy waters gushed across streets. According to local reports, at least 2,000 houses and 4,000 informal homes have been damaged.

KZN Floods
A general view of flood damaged homes in KwaNdengezi, Durban, South Africa, April 12, 2022. REUTERS/Rogan Ward
KZN Floods
Jomba Phiri walks over where his house stood after heavy rains caused flood damage in KwaNdengezi, Durban, South Africa, April 12, 2022. REUTERS/Rogan Ward

The South African National Defence Force was asked to provide aerial support where necessary, the Cogta statement said.

SAPeople contributor Carol Malley was one of many stranded at home unable to go to work on Monday, after her driveway was flooded in Drummond. Between 4pm and 7.30pm she measured 70mm of rainfall in her rain guage at her property on top of a hill, with a total of 420mm since the rain began! Carol, like so many residents of KZN, did not sleep a wink on Monday night as she stayed up, trying to keep water out of her home, emptying the jojo tank and pool every hour. Many towns in KZN received more than 300mm of rain in less than 24 hours.

KZN Floods
Drummond. Photo from WhatsApp
KZN Floods
Tuesday morning traffic jam in Drummond. Photo from WhatsApp

The rains in KwaZulu-Natal also flooded a dam beyond capacity, making it impossible to operate a hydroelectric generator at power utility Eskom, Chief Executive Officer Andre de Ruyter said in an online briefing.

South Africa’s biggest logistics and freight operator Transnet, which runs the Durban port, suspended operations across its terminals there as the deluge damaged a road and hindered access to the terminals, it said in a statement.

KZN Floods
Jomba Phiri walks over where his house stood after heavy rains caused flood damage in KwaNdengezi, Durban, South Africa, April 12, 2022. REUTERS/Rogan Ward
KZN Floods
Residents begin mopping up operations after heavy rains caused flood damage in KwaNdengezi, Durban, South Africa, April 12, 2022. REUTERS/Rogan Ward

Floods around the coastal city of East London in January had killed at least 10 people and left hundreds homeless. Scientists suspect climate change has caused worsening floods and droughts along the eastern coastline.

The South African Weather Service declined to attribute the current spate of rainfall to climate change but said such heavy rain events could become more common.

In 2019, the Department of Environment drew up a plan for South Africa to adapt to climate change, which includes strengthening its preparedness to respond more quickly to weather disasters and help victims recover.

Heavy rainfall in KwaZulu-Natal will considerably weaken by Wednesday, the weather department said, but added rains will return from Friday to Monday.

Looting after KZN Floods

There has unfortunately been looting reported of trucks and containers, including Maersk shipping boxes in Prospecton, amongst other incidents. The DA has called on Police Minister Bheki Cele to immediately intervene and ensure that SA Police Service officers are on high alert to clamp down on incidents. “Extremely disturbing” images have been shared, reminiscent of the violence and looting that took place in KZN in July last year, said the DA.

(Reporting by Olivia Kumwenda-Mtambo and Promit Mukherjee for Reuters, and Jenni Baxter for SAPeople; Editing by David Gregorio/Reuters and Jenni Baxter/SAPeople)

How to Help KZN Floods Victims

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WATCH KZN Floods Claim 45 Lives

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