KZN Urges Official Disaster Declaration as Flood Crisis Intensifies

• KwaZulu-Natal government is in talks with the national government to declare the province a disaster area
• Severe flooding resulted in billions in damages, claiming over 50 lives and displacing hundreds, notably affecting Ladysmith, Dundee, and Durban
• Disaster management on high alert as the South African Weather Services warns of expected heavy rains later this week

The KwaZulu-Natal government is in discussions with the national government to declare the province a disaster area following destructive storms since December. Recent flooding has caused billions of rands in damages, claiming over 50 lives and leaving hundreds homeless, particularly impacting Ladysmith, Dundee, and Durban.

oThongathi residents face renewed water shortages due to infrastructure damage from weekend flash floods, compounding concerns after the town's struggle to recover from the 2022 April floods that left over 40,000 residents without water for months.

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KZN Provincial Government took to Twitter, noting that disaster management alert as the South African Weather Services issued a warning of anticipated heavier rains later this week.

Search and rescue teams are on the ground

Dedicated search and rescue teams are tirelessly working to locate individuals reported missing. With the assistance of community members, two additional bodies were discovered in oThongathi, raising the death toll in the Metro to eight.

The Department of Co-operative Governance is engaged in discussions with the national government to potentially declare the province a disaster area.

According to Vehicle Trackers, multiple vehicles have been washed away during torrential rain

The aftermath devasts Mzansi

@the_real_celoh stated:

"They haven't even fixed the 2022 damages."

@MaziyaZaithoon expressed:

"We've barely recovered from the past couple of years' floods. Displaced people are still living in community halls. Our province is not able to cope with all this housing and infrastructure damage, yet our government still deams it fit to institute load-shedding! How insensitive."

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KZN flood victims: Government pledges aid, residents promised much-needed assistance

@KhanyisaRunesu says:

"Painful."

Grandmother and child died due to Durban floods

Previously, Briefly News reported that many people have died in Durban since 12th January 2024. Among the victims were a grandmother and her grandson, who lost their lives due to flooding.

The heavy rains have proven dangerous, especially in the KZN area. South Africans were devastated by reports of the heartbreaking deaths.

Source: Briefly News