Desperate measures save family amid Limpopo floods
Trapped on their roof for seven hours during Limpopo floods, a Mbaula family recounts their terrifying escape and community rescue.
LIMPOPO – A flood survivor in Mbaula village, Hosi Mthimkhulu (Kotlani Elvis Mabunda), has recounted the terrifying moment he and his family were forced to break through their ceiling to escape raging floodwaters that swept through many parts of the province during the heavy rains in January.
Speaking during a recent visit by delegates from the Limpopo Legislature, Hosi Mthimkhulu described the seven-hour wait for rescue in the roof cavity as “waiting for your own death”, saying their lives were in God’s mercy.
Desperate measures
“When the water started rising inside the house, I told my wife and kids to move to the garage, with the understanding that there was a car that we could climb onto and buy time for potential rescuers to come and find us,” said Mabunda.
The family initially climbed onto the bonnet of their car in the garage, hoping the water would subside.
However, the situation quickly worsened as floodwater continued to rise.
“We sat on the car’s bonnet, but the water kept rising and threatening to sweep us away. That’s when the thought of breaking the house ceiling came up, because we were now facing potential death by drowning,” he said.
In a desperate attempt to survive, Mabunda broke through the ceiling of the house and helped his family climb into the roof space.
“After that, I lifted my wife onto the roof first, followed by all three of my kids,” he explained.
Mabunda said he initially stayed behind to monitor the situation as the water continued to rise inside the house but later joined them when it did not improve.
“I remained behind because I wanted to monitor the situation, but I later joined them when the water kept rising,” he said.
The family then spent several hours trapped inside the roof while raging floodwaters surrounded their home.
“We sat inside the roof for six to seven hours because the water level was not going down. It was very painful.
“It felt like waiting for your own death because we did not know where it would all end,” he said.
He said leaving was not an option due to the strong current sweeping through the area.
“We could not risk swimming out of the house because the water was raging so strongly that one step into it would sweep us away.
“All we could do was wait and put our hopes in the mercy of God,” he said.
A daring community rescue
Meanwhile, community members outside began to grow concerned when they noticed that the house looked almost completely submerged, yet there were no visible signs that the family had left the house. They then came together and devised a rope-based rescue plan.
“They came up with a plan to join ropes together to make one long rope that stretched several metres to a safe point.
“They sent six boys to our house and rescued us one by one using a rope,” he said.
“It was around 08:00 by the time we were rescued, after staying inside the roof since 02:00,” he said.
Although he had already called for a helicopter to assist, Mabunda said the situation inside the house had become too dangerous to wait any longer.
“I was not willing to risk being rescued using a rope with raging water flowing everywhere, but at the same time, I did not know the condition of the house.
“There were chances that after being submerged in water for a long time, it could collapse with us inside, so we had to take our chances and get out while we could,” he said.
According to him, the helicopter arrived later that morning, around 10:00, and began rescuing other residents who were still trapped in the flooded area.
“There were people still on top of their roofs and one on top of a tree, while others were injured,” he said, thanking his community for rescuing him.
