DURBAN - Rescue teams have recovered the bodies of two men who died after a wall collapsed onto their dwelling in KwaMashu, north of Durban, on Thursday morning.
Paul Herbst, spokesperson for IPSS Medical Rescue, said when they arrived at the scene, they found three shack dwellings had been engulfed by rubble after a wall and embankment collapsed.
He said rescue crews worked to create access points across the rubble to allow search and rescue’s K9 unit to assist in locating entrapped persons.
“As a result of the collapse, one person sustained moderate injuries and was transported to a medical facility. Unfortunately, two persons lost their lives in the collapse and their bodies were recovered by rescue teams.”
Provincial SAPS spokesperson, Colonel Thembeka Mbele, said the structural collapse happened around 2am.
“The men, 28-year-old Simo Mkhize and 25-year-old Nathi Mbatha, died. They were asleep at the time and were covered under the debris.”
KZN MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Sipho Hlomuka, has extended his condolences to the families.
He said disaster teams have been deployed to several areas across the province following Wednesday night’s heavy downpour.
In Mtubatuba, one person died after being swept away while trying to cross a flooded, low-lying bridge on Thursday morning in KwaMyeko.
The body of the deceased was recovered by members of the community further downstream.
Hlomuka has directed disaster management teams to continue to monitor areas that are prone to flooding as the inclement weather conditions are expected to continue.
IOL