Watch: More rain batters Margate as death toll increases

Heavy downpours on Sunday and last night have battered the South Coast town of Margate in KZN.

South Coast Herald initially reported that three people died and that the storm left a trail of devastation. However, two more fatalities have been recorded, according to The Witness.

“Three people drowned when the vehicle they were travelling in was washed away, while one was struck by lightning. The fifth victim fell from the roof when he was trying to stop the flooding water that was gushing through. Additionally, two people were reported injured in the Umgababa area in the south of eThekwini,” reads a statement by the KZN Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Department.

@southcoastherald Aerial view of the devastation left behind by last night’s torrential rainfall in Margate. Thanks to Marcus from C-Bali for the footage. . #aerial #Margate #weather #dronephotography ♬ original sound – southcoastherald

South Coast Herald reports an onsite assessment of the destruction was done by government officials yesterday, and that huge damage has been caused to water and road infrastructure in and around the town.

Ugu District Municipality spokesperson France Zama told the publication yesterday that a co-ordinated clean-up operation is in progress, while cost implications of the damage caused are still being consolidated.

@southcoastherald FLASH FLOODS UPDATE ‼️ The wonderful Tidy Towns Shelly Beach to team has already began to mop up Margate beachfront, after the heavy storm the hit the KZN South Coast last night. Thanks to Scott Kvalsvig from Tidy Towns for the video. . #weather #flashflood #rain #kznsouthcoast #margatebeach #tidytowns ♬ original sound – southcoastherald

More rain hit the eThekwini Metro, Umdoni, Umzumbe and Ray Nkonyeni municipalities last night – causing more havoc in the area.

@southcoastherald JUST IN | The bad news is that Margate is facing more torrential rainfall. These videos were taken at the beachfront, a short while ago. . #margate #extremeweather #flashfloods #rain #kzntiktok #kzsouthcoast ♬ original sound – southcoastherald

According to AccuWeather, less rain is expected in the town today, with its forecast predicting a 25% probability of rain during the day, and 20% during the evening.