At least nine dead after severe flooding and landslides hit KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), South Africa

Devastating floods and landslides caused by heavy rainfall across the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) left at least nine people dead and caused extensive damage to infrastructure, displacement of residents, and road closures.

Intense rainfall triggered a landslide in Adams Mission on February 19, located within KwaMakhutha, a peri-urban area south of Durban. The landslide caused two structures to collapse, leading to three fatalities. One house was torn apart by the landslide, burying a family inside, according to Garrith Jamieson, spokesperson for ALS Paramedics.

“Fortunately, the children managed to escape. However, the parents were unable to get out in time, and it’s alleged they’ve been buried underneath sand and rubble,” Jamieson said.

The fire department and police search-and-rescue teams worked overnight to recover three bodies by mid-morning on February 20.

Three additional deaths were reported, a 13-year-old boy in Folweni, a 12-year-old girl in Demat, and a 13-year-old girl in Ensimbini. Another man in his thirties was killed in a separate landslide nearby. Emergency response teams worked through the night to assist trapped victims, but all six people in these incidents succumbed to their injuries.

KZN Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) spokesperson Sezelwe Mzila confirmed that two more fatalities were recorded in KwaQololoqo in the Umzumbe Local Municipality under the Ugu district.

“It is believed that two men were swept away while trying to cross a river in the area,” Mzila said.

The South African Weather Service (Saws) reported that Amanzimtoti received 184 mm (7.2 inches) of rain between midnight and 05:00 LT (03:00 UTC) on February 20.

Several parts of Durban experienced severe flooding, including Isipingo and Prospecton, where roads have been closed. The municipality has activated its joint Disaster Management Operations Centre to coordinate rescue and relief efforts.

Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs in KwaZulu-Natal, Thulasizwe Buthelezi, acknowledged the province’s vulnerability to extreme weather conditions and revealed that KZN has received more than 30 severe weather warnings from the South African Weather Service (Saws) since December 2024.

“Since December last year, the impact has been significant, with 30 lives lost, 33 people injured, and more than 2 000 households affected,” Buthelezi stated. The estimated cost of damage stands at R3.1 billion ($162 million).

Several landslides and wall collapses were reported in areas such as KwaMakhutha, Amanzimtoti, uMlazi, and Maqaqa Lifestyle Centre. Disaster response teams are on-site with heavy machinery to rescue those who may still be trapped. Trees have been uprooted and are blocking roadways in Chatsworth, Umkomaas, Morningside, and Verulam, complicating the rescue operations.

Cathy Sutherland, a professor at the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s School of Built Environment and Development Studies, explained that in peri-urban areas, many homes are built on unstable slopes without proper stormwater management systems.

“Saturated slopes due to prolonged rainfall, combined with intense downpours, can lead to catastrophic collapses in both formal and informal areas,” she said.

The Swas attributes the persistent rainfall to a cut-off low system which has caused extreme weather across Gauteng, North West, the Eastern Free State, KZN, parts of Mpumalanga, and Limpopo. Saws issued a Level 6 warning for the North West province and a Level 5 warning for the affected coastal areas of KZN, warning of further flooding, infrastructure damage, and potential loss of life.

Sutherland noted that while broad-scale assessments of risk factors such as geology, soil type, vegetation cover, and drainage infrastructure are conducted, predicting precise locations for landslides remains difficult.

“The city is attempting to build climate resilience through multistakeholder actor networks, integrating different forms of knowledge,” she said.

Residents in affected areas have been urged to take precautions, including avoiding crossing flooded roads or fast-moving streams, moving to higher ground if water levels rise, and avoiding low-lying bridges. The city’s emergency response teams remain on high alert, with continuous monitoring of water levels in canals and rivers.

MEC Buthelezi announced that disaster management teams would conduct mop-up operations in eThekwini on February 24 to assess damages and assist affected communities. He also focused on the importance of recent Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) signed between the government, private sector, and NGOs to enhance the province’s disaster preparedness.

References:

¹ Heavy rain batters KZN – six people die, three in landslide, amid devastating floods – DAILY MAVERICK – February 20, 2025

² Death toll related to KZN’s inclement weather rises to 9 – EYEWITNESS NEWS – February 22, 2025

Rishika Yadav

Rishika holds a Master’s in International Studies from Stella Maris College, Chennai, India, where she earned a gold medal, and an MCA from the University of Mysore, Karnataka, India. Previously, she served as a Research Assistant at the National Institute of Advanced Studies, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, India. During her tenure, she contributed as a Junior Writer for Europe Monitor on the Global Politics website and as an Assistant Editor for The World This Week. Her work has also been published in The Hindu newspaper, showing her expertise in global affairs. Rishika is also a recipient of the Women Empowerment Award at the district level in Haryana, India, in 2022.

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