In a devastating incident during the torrential downpours that have been sweeping through KwaZulu-Natal, a woman and a child lost their lives when their home collapsed in Zwelisha, north of Durban.
The tragic incident occurred on Saturday evening while the victims were asleep, highlighting the destructive power of the storm.
The collapse of the wooden and iron home, situated next to a river, was brought to the attention of Reaction Unit South Africa (Rusa), a KZN-based private security and emergency response company.
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Community members initially searched for the occupants but called Rusa when they couldn’t locate them. Rusa dispatched their reaction officers, who arrived at the scene accompanied by the Verulam SAPS.
Together with the assistance of the community, first responders sifted through the debris and discovered the lifeless bodies of a woman and her four-year-old grandson on the bed. It is believed that the tragic incident occurred while they were asleep and the home collapsed.
The South African Police Service in KwaZulu-Natal has not yet confirmed the two deaths. “We do not have such a case registered on our records as yet,” stated KZN Police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda.
Authorities in the province have been grappling with the challenges of mitigating damages and evacuating communities from low-lying areas that are prone to flooding.
The Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) had previously issued a warning about flooded bridges in Maphumulo Local Municipality in northern KZN and in Mariannhill, west of Durban.
The devastating impact of the inclement weather over the festive period and into the new year is evident in the statistics, with a reported 40 fatalities. Tongaat, in the northern parts of KZN, also experienced severe flooding, with emergency response teams working tirelessly to rescue trapped individuals from houses and cars.
IPSS Medical Rescue, a private emergency response team, reported their efforts to save lives in Tongaat. They successfully rescued three individuals who were stuck in a tree and on a wall surrounded by rising water in the Tongaat CBD. Fortunately, these individuals did not sustain any serious injuries.
Kyle Van Reenan from Emer-G-Med also reported that their teams responded to numerous calls for help, including entrapments and the evacuation of residents to higher ground in the eThekwini region.
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