Durban - Some residents were forced to evacuate their homes in the northern parts of KwaZulu-Natal at the weekend, due to to heavy rain and severe flooding brought on by tropical storm Eloise.
This follows numerous reports of heavy rain in the uMkhanyakude district and in parts of King Cetshwayo and Zululand districts, said KZN MEC for Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Sipho Hlomuka.
On Sunday, a family from Ward 6 in eMthonjeni, Jozini, had to be evacuated after their home was flooded, Hlomuka said.
“In this case, the family requested to be moved to their relatives who reside in a safer part of the area.”
Another family from the Abaqulusi area in north-western KZN narrowly escaped after their house collapsed in the early hours of Monday. Two people were injured.
“The injured were immediately taken to the hospital and have since been discharged,” Hlomuka added.
He said reports from the South African Weather Service indicated that bad weather was expected to continue throughout yesterday, with heavy rain expected in the uMkhanyakude district, an area where the ground is already saturated.
Hlomuka urged residents in the Big Five, Hlabisa, Jozini, Mtubatuba and uMhlabuyalingana municipalities to tune in to their radio stations for updates on Eloise.
In Mpumalanga province, Eloise damaged the N4 motorway between Elandshoek and Ngodwana, according to toll route managers Trans African Concessions (Trac).
This resulted in the road being closed off on Sunday.
According to a Trac statement, the Ngodwana area experienced 160mm of rainfall between Saturday and Monday, which resulted in flash floods, uprooting of trees and damage to the road’s infrastructure.
“After the heavy rainfall on Sunday, a stream crossing underneath the N4 through a culvert flooded over the road. This resulted in the road fill material underneath the road surface being washed away, which caused the road surface to subside,” said Trac chief executive Alex van Niekerk yesterday.
Van Niekerk said all road users should use an alternative route, mainly Schoemanskloof, as a detour.
African News Agency (ANA)