At least 51 people have been killed after floods and mudslides hit the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal, especially its port city of Durban, on April 21 and 22, 2019. Search and rescue operations are in progress and the death toll is expected to rise. Heavy rain is expected to last at least through Wednesday, April 24.
The province is experiencing heavy rain since the start of the Easter weekend, resulting in flooded roads, collapsed buildings and downed power poles.
The government reported dozens of incidents of collapsed walls and flooded homes. Hundreds of people were forced to evacuate low-lying areas.
An AFP photographer reported one Hindu temple in Durban was entirely flooded with water levels up to 10 m (33 feet).
At least 51 people have been killed and the death toll is still expected to rise as more bodies are being recovered.
Update: Death toll is approaching 70, Lennox Mabaso, a spokesman for the provincial Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs department, told Reuters.
Rescue Care spokesman told AFP most of the victims were either crushed to death by mudslides or drowned in flood waters.
Over the past 48 hours, Paddock received 316 mm (12.4 inches) of rain, Port St. Johns 271 mm (10.6 inches), Durban 252 mm (9.9 inches) and Pennington 161 mm (6.3 inches), SA Weather Service reported 14:06 UTC today.
#DurbanFloods this is by my home in Umlazi Durban pic.twitter.com/4Q52MnKfSd
— 1ndile (@maplayar) April 23, 2019
Hope they got out safe no1 died. Things are bad in Durban and umlazi pic.twitter.com/ojNb1ongAe
— 1ndile (@maplayar) April 23, 2019
A mud slide has resulted from the first collapse. There have been no reports on this ongoing emergency situation, so the number of fatalities is unknown. pic.twitter.com/CrGhj2th24
— uNonkosi (@Waited_For_) April 23, 2019
#KZNFloods Check how this highway in KZN is flooded. Video supplied. #Weather pic.twitter.com/KdDX7cnPd4
— Faizel Patel (@FaizelPatel143) April 23, 2019
QUEENSBURGH#KZNFloods pic.twitter.com/FeqUbB3yXL
— SUPERMU'MIN (@MOHAMEDSALEJEE) April 23, 2019
#KZNFloods WATCH: Water gushes past the Resevoir Hills M19 Informal Settlement in Durban during the ongoing floods. Video: @noksy_k pic.twitter.com/uAzMuDaFpr
— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) April 23, 2019
Rescue efforts have been halted at a house in Malvern where a house collapsed due to #DurbanFloods. A young boy and a woman are confirmed dead. Two others have been taken to hospital.
— Kheswantino (@mawandekheswa) April 23, 2019
It is believed that 2 kids and 1 adult are still trapped. pic.twitter.com/RXVGWKqUj8
Some of the damage caused by #DurbanFloods in uMlazi L section.
— Kheswantino (@mawandekheswa) April 23, 2019
At least 10 houses damaged with some of them being washed away. pic.twitter.com/Mc0mYdHFTW
A video the place currently.#Durbanfloods #DurbanRain pic.twitter.com/E9ed0wjfmd
— Yamkela (@YamkelaSodwele) April 23, 2019
The saddest thing I've seen in a while #DurbanFloods #Durban911 pic.twitter.com/YiloCA3gdr
— KG (@kgmkhwanazi) April 23, 2019
Featured image credit: uNonkosi @Waited_For_
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