Plans are needed for climate disasters

The massive flood which hit Durban and surrounds in April last year was certainly devastating, leaving 459 people confirmed dead and 88 missing, presumed dead; while 4 000 homes were destroyed, 40 000 people left homeless and 45 000 temporarily without employment.

Researchers from Wits University and the University of Brighton in the UK say the event was the most catastrophic natural disaster yet recorded in KwaZulu-Natal.

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However, the floods in 1987 claimed 506 lives and destroyed more homes.

In 1856, floods also wreaked havoc, although obviously not on the scale of last year’s one, because Durban was a much smaller settlement then.

What is evident from the research is that changing patterns of urbanisation around the city – and especially the growth of informal settlements – has not only massively increased the population, but also the number of people who are vulnerable to extreme weather events.

Ominously, too, researchers say climate change will probably increase the frequency of flood events and, possibly, their severity, making it critical that local, provincial and national government improve infrastructure, especially drainage systems.

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Given that many displaced people in the area are still being housed in emergency accommodation, there needs to be better contingency planning for such disasters.