Two women trapped in their home freed from La Mercy landslide

Following heavy rains overnight, part of an embankment became dislodged, causing a mudslide to blockade them inside their home, below the road level on Marina Road, La Mercy.

“We had fielded multiple calls throughout the morning and initially did not know how many people were stuck inside the home,” said Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) chairperson, Nazir Sadack.

Once emergency services arrived, it was established that the 2 women were safe and unharmed, but response personnel could not initially gain access to the home.

“The search and rescue teams had to dig through the mud first, after which they were able to safely recover the women.”

Sadack confirmed that there was partial damage to the home, as water and mud entered and spread throughout the interior, but that it remained structurally intact.

This is the second landslide in a month in La Mercy, after a home on Twilight Avenue was pulled in half following another bout of heavy rains on September 7.

Twilight Avenue is parallel to Marina Road and this section of La Mercy is prone to landslides owing to residential construction on sand and sandstone which can quickly crumble in heavy rain, said Ward 58 councillor, Geoff Pullan.

CERT responded to the scene along with Metro Search and Rescue, Saps K9 Unit and paramedics.