KZN Floods: Families Call for More Search and Rescue Teams as Death Toll Climbs to Over 440 With 63 Missing

• The death toll in KwaZulu-Natal has surpassed the 400 mark with 63 people who are reported missing
• Desperate residents who are trying to locate their family members are pleading for the government to assist them
• KwaZulu-Natal Premier Sihle Zikalala said the amount of lives lost and infrastructure damage surpasses the 1987 floods

DURBAN - The death toll from the recent heavy rains, flooding and landslides in KwaZulu-Natal has increased to 443 while 63 people are still missing. Thousands of people have been left without a roof over their heads.

Distraught families in the area are urgently calling on the government to do more to assist with search and rescue operations. The area also saw damage to roads, infrastructure and water, and electricity supply.

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KZN floods: Family pleads with government to help them find 10 missing loved ones

The family of one of the flood victims spoke to SABC News. Ntokozo Dlamini appeals to search and rescue teams to find the body of his uncle, Msawakhe Dlamini who was swept away while attempting to get to another house, in Ndlanzi Ndlanzi, North of Durban.

Meanwhile, KwaZulu-Natal Premier Sihle Zikalala said during a media briefing that the floods in the province are one of the worst in the recorded history of the area. He said the amount of lives lost and infrastructure damage surpasses the 1987 floods, according to eNCA.

KZN floods: Premier Sihle Zikalala says relief funds will not be looted, corrupt officials will be punished

Briefly News also reported that KwaZulu-Natal Premier Sihle Zikalala says the provincial government will make sure that relief flood funds will be misused in the wake of the devastating floods in the past week.

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KZN floods: Premier Sihle Zikalala says flood relief funds will not be looted, corrupt officials will be punished

Zikalala's promise comes after many South Africans raised concerns that the R1 billion set aside to help KZN residents rebuild their province would be looted by corrupt officials. The heavy flooding in the province has resulted in the deaths of over 400 people and many others have been left homeless as a result of floods washing away their homes and mudslides collapsing houses.

During a press conference on Sunday, Zikalala assured South Africans that the resources allocated to KZN residents would be used to benefit them and not be looted, reports News24.

"We want to assure our communities that all the funds will be used prudentially and that no one will be allowed to feast on the suffering of our people in order to line their pockets," Zikalala said.

Source: Briefly News