KZN flood death toll up to nine after two bodies found during mop-up

The death toll from heavy rains and mudslides in KwaZulu-Natal this week, has increased to nine.

The provincial Department of Cooperative Governance says as mop-up operations continue, two more bodies were recovered in KwaQololoqo in the Umzumbe area.

It is believed that the two men were swept away while trying to cross a flooded river earlier this week. This as several parts of the province experienced severe storms in recent days, resulting in infrastructure collapses, mudslides and flooded roads.

The hardest hit areas were largely in the south of the Durban metro.

The department’s spokesperson Senzelwe Mzila elaborates, “Disaster management teams continue to respond to the incident that occurred in KZN. The fatalities have increased with two fatalities records in the areas of KwaQoloqolo under Umzumbe in Ugu [district]. It is believed that two men were swept away while trying to cross a flooded river in the area. This means that the death toll now stands at nine. The MEC for CoGTA in KZN Reverend Thulasizwe Buthelezi will lead mop up operations in affected areas working the eThekwini Metro.”

Meanwhile, search and rescue mission was under way in Klerksdorp in the North West on Friday after an unconfirmed number of pedestrians were swept away by flood waters.

According to eyewitnesses, they were attempting to cross the Schoonspruit River when they got into trouble.

Houses and businesses in the town have been flooded following persistent rain in the area.