Bodies recovered after heavy rains in Durban

It was a heartbreaking scene that met rescue workers who found the bodies of a grandmother and her four-year-old grandson among the debris of their collapsed home in Zwelisha. They had been asleep when their home collapsed during the heavy rains on Saturday (January 13) night, and had died holding each other.

Spokesman for Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) Mr Prem Balram said the grandmother and her grandson were killed in a structural collapse in Zwelisha, in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) on Saturday.

“Members of the community assessing damages from Saturday night’s torrential rains discovered the collapsed wood and iron home next to a river.

“They contacted RUSA the next morning at approximately 7.43am after they were unable to locate the female that lived in the home,” said Mr Balram.

“Reaction officers were immediately dispatched and arrived on scene with the Verulam SAPS. First responders with assistance from the community sifted through the debris. They discovered the lifeless bodies of a woman and her grandson on the bed. The boy is said to be approximately four years old. It is believed that they were asleep when the home caved in.”

The heavy rains on Saturday night caused flash floods and rivers to burst their banks on the north coast of KwaZulu-Natal. As communities have started to take stock of the damage, five people have been reported dead, more fatalities are expected as rescue teams continue with searches.

IPSS Medical Rescue said that two people had gone missing from their home in Tongaat, and a further two had gone missing while attempting to cross rivers in Groutville and Maphumulo. Umhali SAPS K9 Search and Rescue and IPSS Search and Rescue have been responding to the various areas, however, the rivers remain at dangerous levels, and this has hampered efforts by rescuers.

The eThekwini Municipality reported on Sunday afternoon that the severe thunderstorms in coastal areas over the weekend, including eThekwini Metro, Ilembe and Ugu districts had confirmed five fatalities so far, said eThewkini Municipality spokesperson Gugu Sisilana.

“Severe thunderstorms, accompanied by strong winds, have left a trail of destruction in various areas of KwaZulu-Natal. The most significant damage has been reported in the eThekwini Metro, KwaDukuza and Ndwedwe Local Municipalities at this stage.

“Our Disaster Management Teams responded to a number of calls between 8pm and 10pm on Saturday night when the thunderstorm battered the coastal areas, causing severe damage to households, businesses and infrastructure.”

At this stage, five fatalities have been confirmed under eThekwini Metro, while two people have been reported missing, said Ms Sisilana.

Two people in the Folweni areas died after a retaining wall collapsed on their structure. Another person was confirmed dead in Umlazi’s K Section due to structural collapse.

In another incident in Tongaat, two family members died when their shack collapsed on them during the heavy rains. Two more people went missing after floods washed away their informal structure in Tongaat. Search and Rescue Teams, led by SAPS K9 Unit, IPSS Medical Rescue, and RUSA, are currently on the ground conducting search and rescue operations, said Ms Sisilana.

“The heavy rains have also caused damage to water and electricity infrastructure, leaving some communities in eThekwini and Stanger without water and electricity.

“Our disaster response teams, working with all affected municipalities and our social partners, are still on the ground providing relief such as blankets, mattresses, and box-B - which contain all the amenities a human being needs on a daily basis,” said Ms Sisilana.

“Municipalities have also dispatched water tankers to areas affected as families are engaged in mop-up operations. With regards to infrastructure, in eThekwini Metro, some roads and bridges have been affected by the heavy rain resulting in some roads being completely closed - limiting access to communities, social, and economic facilities. The mop-up operation is currently under way, including the removal of fallen trees, while several roads that were washed away will remain closed for safety.”

She added that preliminary reports indicate that eThekwini has so far recorded over 250 households with over 1000 people affected at this stage. As a precautionary measure, eThekwini Municipality has closed all beaches in the north, and some in the southern region are closed until further notice. Only Umgababa Beach remains open in the south region.

In KwaDukuza, under Ilembe District, about 70 households have been confirmed to have been affected due to flooding affecting 300 people. Some roads in various areas were severely damaged, and traffic law enforcement has decided to close them to ensure the safety of motorists, she said.

“In Ndwedwe, under Ilembe District, several calls were received by disaster teams from distressed families calling for help. So far, 70 homes have been affected, and our teams are currently providing relief, working with our social partners,” said Ms Sislana.

“In the south coast under Ugu District several roads had to be closed and traffic was diverted after flash floods damaged major roads. There were several households that were being assessed in the area of Port Shepstone.”

KZN MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Bongiwe Sithole-Moloi, has expressed her heartfelt condolences to all the families that have lost their loved ones as a result of inclement weather. She also expresses her sympathy to all who have suffered losses, including damage to their valuables and businesses. She has activated other sector departments to come on board to provide all forms of assistance communities need during this difficult period.

“Our province has been hard hit by yet another devastating flood. We have received reports that schools, roads, and bridges in municipalities such as eThekwini, Ndwedwe, and KwaDukuza have been severely damaged. Teams are on the ground to assess the damage and provide emergency relief to those affected,” she said.

“Disaster management teams are compiling reports to ensure a consolidated government response. We also have law enforcement agencies on the ground, including Road Traffic Inspectorates who are diverting traffic in areas where transport infrastructure has been washed away.”

Ms Sithole-Moloi added that they are also coordinating with other departments including Social Development, Home Affairs, Human Settlements, Education and Eskom to assist in providing a comprehensive response in all aspects. Teams will be in contact with all the affected families to provide the necessary support, said Ms Sithole-Moloi.