Tragedy at Uvongo Falls as Woman Drowns, Floating Debris and Strong Currents Hamper Rescue Efforts

• A woman tragically drowned when she slipped into the raging water near the Uvongo Falls and was swept away by the current
• The strong current and floating debris made rescue efforts impossible and her body was not recovered
• Heavy rains and flooding have battered the province, leaving at least seven others dead in just one day

Briefly News journalist Byron Pillay has spent a decade reporting on the South African political landscape, crime and social issues. He spent 10 years working for a community newspaper before transitioning to online

KWAZULU-NATAL – The community of Uvongo on the KZN South Coast is still reeling after a woman tragically drowned in the area.

The woman was walking along a pathway back from the Uvongo Falls when she slipped into the turbulent water and was swept away. The incident happened at around 2 pm on Wednesday, 26 February 2025.

Strong currents and floating debris hamper rescue efforts

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Briefly News visited the scene of the tragedy and spoke to community members who witnessed the tragedy unfold.

According to bystanders, the woman was walking along the path from the Uvongo Falls with her partner. They had reached a point where the path had given way, which was when the woman slipped and fell into the water.

Despite the best efforts of search and rescue teams on site, the woman’s body could not be found. Strong currents, floating debris and turbulent waters made the task of finding her body difficult.

Heavy rains and flooding batter the Durban area

The tragedy comes on the same day when the South Coast area was plagued by destruction brought on by heavy rains and flooding.

Disaster management teams in the province are on high alert, having received numerous emergencies to attend to. Samantha Meyrick from IPSS Medical Rescue Services explained that they received numerous calls but added that flooded roads made rescue efforts difficult.

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In some instances, bystanders had assisted people who were trapped before they could get there.

There have been numerous reports of flooding in Port Shepstone, Lamontville, and Margate, as well as other parts of the South Coast.

In Lamontville, five people were killed when they were swept away by the rising levels of water. Their bodies were later recovered. Two other bodies washed up on Durban beaches as well on 26 February.

More rain is expected for KZN

With more rain expected to hit the province, Meyrick noted that emergency services were on high alert.

“Everyone is on standby, there is more rain expected but nothing like we experienced last night,” she said.

She did add that any would likely be a problem as the ground was already so saturated.

She also expressed concern that many drainage systems were not maintained and cleaned, so when heavy rainfall is experienced, it easily blocked the drains which then led to flooding in the areas.

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5 bodies recovered after heavy flooding

In a related article, disaster management workers recovered the bodies of five people who were swept away during flooding.

Briefly News reported that the victims, including three children, were swept away in the Lamontville area following heavy rains.

Several roads in the Durban South area were affected and emergency services officials were working on rescuing any trapped people.

Source: Briefly News