Four die as heavy rains hit South Coast this week

Four people have died, in separate incidents, as a result of the heavy rains which pounded the coast earlier this week.

This brings the number of weather-related lives lost in the province to 51.

ALSO READ : WATCH: #SouthCoastFlooding – Emergency services on high alert as heavy rain continues

Tragedy struck particularly close to home yesterday (Wednesday) when the body of Wendy Conde (71) was recovered, still in her vehicle, in a river next to the N2 toll road.

Ms Conde was reported missing by her worried family on Tuesday after leaving her workplace in Shelly Beach for her Tweni home during the downpour.

It is believed her vehicle may have been swept off the road by flood waters.

In second incident, a bakkie was swept off the road in Umtentweni on Tuesday this week.

The driver’s body was extricated from the vehicle yesterday.

Two more people, a woman (36) and her three-year-old child were found dead in Oshabeni, Mehlomnyama area when a wall at their home collapsed.

All four deaths were confirmed by KwaZulu-Natal Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs spokesman, Lennox Mabaso.

Giving an indication of just how badly the South Coast was affected by the floods, three people were rescued from the roof of their workplace in Port Shepstone and brought to safety by Med-Evac Emergency Medical Services speed boats.

President Cyril Ramaphosa cut short his working visit to Egypt and visited the affected areas yesterday.

He was accompanied by Cogta MEC Nomusa Dube-Ncube and Human Settlements MEC Ravi Pillay.

The KZN Health Department said in a statement the damage to infrastructure included flooded and blocked roads, collapsed buildings and perimeter walls, blocked storm water drains and severed water lines, flooded buildings and households as well as power outages as a result of cable damage.

“At this stage, the focus remains on recovery and provision of relief efforts while assessment on further damages are still underway,” read the statement.

Uvongo resident, Donovon Woods (34) said his property was damaged by a mudslide.

“I heard a loud bang and when I looked outside, the boundary walls around my house had collapsed. It will cost me a fortune to repair, but at least my life was spared, unlike those who died as a result of the storm.”

Sithembile Mnguni of St Michael’s said she had been ‘very scared’ as she was travelling when the flood waters began rising.

“I’ve never been so frightened in my life. All I could do was pray to God to spare my family’s lives. I was driving with my three year old son and six month old baby and I could not access the road to my home.”

Miss Mnguni thanked emergency services personnel for assisting her.

According to Ray Nkonyeni Municipality spokesman Simon April, the heavy rains dumped an astonishing 310mm of rain on the South Coast on Tuesday this week, with wind speeds reaching 90km per hour.

“Beaches have also been affected and most are currently closed to swimming due to debris.”

Meanwhile, WeatherSA forecaster, Wiseman Dlamini said the rain had stopped and conditions were expected to clear by the weekend.

HAVE YOUR SAY

Like our Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and Instagram