KwaZulu-Natal Flooding Leaves Three Missing As Teams Work to Recover One Woman’s Body From River
- Persistent heavy rains resulted in severe flooding in the New Hanover area of KwaZulu-Natal
- Rescue operations are underway to recover a body located in a river following the heavy rains
- The South African Weather Service warned that the province could experience further flooding
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Briefly News journalist Byron Pillay has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He spent 10 years working for the Northern Natal Courier before transitioning to online journalism.
KWAZULU-NATAL – A desperate recovery operation is underway in New Hanover, KwaZulu-Natal, following heavy rains in the area, which left three people missing.
The three individuals were swept away by severe flooding in the uMshwathi Local Municipality on Sunday, 23 November 2025. Officials confirmed that the three missing people were a 20-year-old female, a 40-year-old female and a 30-year-old male. Two of the individuals are foreign nationals.
On Monday, 24 November 2025, rescue officials located the body of one of the missing females in a river in Shiyasi, New Hanover. Rescue efforts are currently underway, but have been hampered by continuous downpours, with the South African Weather Service (SAWS) warning that severe weather conditions would persist in the province.
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After an extensive operation, the woman's body was eventually pulled from the river. Officials on the scene explained that a Tractor-Loader-Backhoe (TLB) had to be brought in to remove debris in the river.
The woman's body was trapped between logs and other debris in the water, making it difficult for rescue workers to retrieve it. Drone technology was also used in the recovery efforts.
Source: UGC
Disaster Management teams deployed to the affected area
The Member of the Executive Committee for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), Reverend Thulasizwe Buthelezi, has since deployed disaster management teams to the area.
A statement from COGTA noted that, in addition to the flooding in New Hanover, there were also multiple reports of damage sustained across the uMgungundlovu District.
“Preliminary information suggests that several residential properties have sustained flood damage, and road infrastructure, including bridges, has been affected,” the statement read.
The extent of the damage has not yet been determined.
SAWS warns of further flooding in KZN
The weather service has also issued Level 5 and Level 4 alerts for severe thunderstorms in parts of KZN. The weather service warned that these heavy downpours and strong winds could lead to further flooding.
Residents are advised to exercise caution and avoid crossing swollen rivers or low-lying bridges. For some districts, like Amajuba, that warning held. The town of Newcastle once again experienced some flooding, though it was not as bad as last week's downpour.
Newcastle residents recall traumatic flooding
Residents of Newcastle in KZN spoke to Briefly News about the flooding that hit the area.
Numerous parts of the town experienced damage, as heavy rains led to severe flooding.
The South African Weather Service also issued an Orange Level 5 warning for more potential flooding.
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Source: Briefly News
