The death toll in the KwaZulu-Natal flood disaster now stands at 306 with fears of more bodies being discovered as the rescue mission continues. The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs confirmed on Wednesday evening that 306 people have died as a result of the deadly flooding that hit the province on Monday.
Sipho Hlomuka, the Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC, said members of the provincial committee will be visiting all the affected areas in KwaZulu-Natal and will start providing the necessary relief to the affected communities.
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“Municipal services like electricity, water and refuse removal have resumed in some areas. Residents are urged to be patient as teams in many municipalities affected by the flooding are stretched to capacity,” said Hlomuka.
According to the government this tragedy is marked as one of the darkest moments in the history of KwaZulu Natal. “We join the families in mourning the lives that we have lost as a result of the heavy rains, the government wrote in a tweet. “We wish to commend disaster management teams for the tireless work that they have been doing to evacuate affected communities.”
President Cyril Ramaphosa visited the people of KwaZulu Natal to show solidarity and described the floods as a “catastrophe” and a “calamity”. Shops, warehouses and malls which had just recovered from the looting which happened during the July unrest are now flooded with water.
Houses in the suburban areas and in the informal settlements were damaged by the floods. Many people have been left homeless and are waiting for the government to provide them with shelter. The death toll has now surpassed 300.
Source: News24, CNN, BBC News, Daily Maverick, image from CNN
