Mother, Son Found Dead in Car Washed Away on Bridge During 15-Minute Heavy Rain in Pietermaritzburg

• A family drove into a heavy rainstorm in Pietermaritzburg, Kwazulu-Natal
• They went on a bridge that was damaged by the intense 15-minute rain, and the car was washed away
• A woman and her son were found dead in the car, and a man is still missing, while another child died from the same flood

Tebogo Mokwena, Briefly News's current affairs journalist, offered coverage of current affairs like loadshedding and environmental affairs during his seven years at Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News.

The heavy rains in Kwazulu-Natal have claimed the lives of many in December, and the weather swept away more lives. A woman and two children were killed when the torrential rains in Pietermaritzburg swept away their car. One man is missing, and authorities are searching for him.

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Family washed away by river during rains

According to TimesLIVE, the family was driving down the bridge above the Msunduzi River near Henley Dam. The waters from an intense rainstorm that lasted a quarter of an hour damaged the bridge, and the car was washed away as it tried to cross it.

The IPSS Search and Rescue confirmed that community members and the South African National Defence Force pulled the car out of the water. There, they found the woman and one child in the car. Another child was later found to have drowned as a result of the same heavy rains.

The province's Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs confirmed that many homes and roads were destroyed due to the devastating rains. The COGTA MEC, Bongiwe Sithole-Moloi, called on community members, chiefs and councillors to remain vigilant and continue educating community members about the dangers of these heavy rains, which are expected to continue on New Year's Day.

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Mzansi is at a loss for words

South Africans on Facebook were speechless at the lives that were lost as a result of the floods in KwaZulu-Natal.

Debby Cuthbert said:

“Condolences to those who have lost loved ones.”

Bongani Sithole wrote:

“Imagine a 15-minute rain causing such devastating impact. Something is not right.”

George Tsoelang exclaimed:

“This is heartbreaking.”

A seven-year-old boy drowns trying to cross a river

In a similar story, Briefly News reported that a 7-year-old boy drowned after he tried to cross the Enembe River in KwaZulu Natal.

The little boy was accompanied by family members when the raging waters swept him away. South Africans mourned his death, mainly because he died on New Year's Eve.

Source: Briefly News