Durban - With the rain bucketing down in Durban since the start of the weekend, estimations from the South African Weather Service (SAWS) show that KwaZulu-Natal experienced continuous downpours.
The province saw an increase in rain from Friday to Sunday, the SAWS report shows, with some areas in northern KZN receiving more than 200mm of rain yesterday.
Both the north and south coasts of KZN saw heavy rainfall on Saturday and Sunday.
On Sunday, the Mbazwana Arfield, towards the northernmost part of KZN, saw 206mm of rain while Riverview, near Mtubatuba, received 127mm.
Port Edward, Margate and Pennington had around 60mm.
In the eThekwini region, the inclement weather has caused carnage as numerous reports on social media show severe flooding in the Amanzimtoti area, just south of the Durban CBD.
A community Facebook group, Amanzimtoti & Neighbours News Alerts and Warnings Crime, shared footage of the devastation across various parts of Amanzimtoti.
In uMlazi, an area neighbouring Amanzimtoti, a person was killed in a landslide on Sunday.
Medi Response’s Paul Herbst said paramedics responded to the landslide in the residential area.
“On arrival of Medi Response Search and rescue crews, together with the SAPS and Metro Police Search and Rescue, it was established that a landslide had occurred, engulfing an informal dwelling. The single occupant of the dwelling was unfortunately killed during the landslide,” Herbst said.
On Monday morning, the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs issued a warning, urging residents in low lying areas to find higher ground as the torrential downpours were expected to persist.
CoGTA’s Sipho Hlmuka said there was a high risk of flooding in informal settlements, with bridges also posing a high risk area due to the weakened structural integrity.
“The latest level 5 weather warning from the South African Weather Service indicates that significant heavy rains will continue into the evening today in major parts of the province, especially the eastern parts.
“Disaster management teams continue to respond to a number of incidents which include a wall collapse in eThekwini that led to a fatality, mudslides that have been reported in KwaDukuza, flooding of Ladysmith town and road damage on the south coast. Road diversions are being implemented where possible,” Hlomuka said.
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