Another tragedy occurred this week when a ten-year-old child lost his life while swimming in a water-filled excavation hole in Emona, Tongaat on Wednesday.

This brings the total to five people, including three children who have drowned this week in flood related incidents.

IPSS Medical Rescue spokesperson Paul Herbst said paramedics responded to a report of a drowning.

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“Upon arrival it was established that a 10-year-old boy had been playing in a large water-filled excavation hole when he got into difficulty and drowned,” Herbst said.

The body was discovered by another child, a girl who lives nearby.

According to Herbst, the body of water appeared to be an excavation site which filled with water when the region experienced heavy downpours this week.

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Tongaat police have opened an inquest.

Meanwhile, the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) has appealed to parents, guardians, caregivers and teachers to tell children under their care to exercise caution around swollen, flooded rivers, not to cross these rivers, and to exercise caution around all water bodies,

More heavy rains are expected today.

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