KZN HEAVY RAINS UPDATE DEATH TOLL FROM KZN RAINS REACHES 32 AS AUTHORITIES CONTINUE TO ASSESS DAMAGES

The Pentecostal church incident is not an attack to the church but directed to Christ as the head of the church and this was the moral of a message from the pastors who were comforting the families who came to identify the bodies of their loved ones. KwaZulu-Natal Provincial government was led by Cogta to ensure that the families get the necessary paperwork, spiritual support, counselling and a shoulder to cry on as Heads of Departments, Pastors, Social Workers, officials Director General of the Province and the Minister Mildred Olifant gathered for support at the government mortuary in Richards Bay on 23.04.19

KZN Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) is urging residents and visitors to the province to remain on full alert and if threatening situations arises vacate and move to higher ground after a night of heavy rains Disaster relief efforts are in progress in all affected areas.

“Heavy rains have since claimed 32 lives so far and 10 missing persons, all of them children in and around Durban alone. There have also been 42 reported injuries. Over 2000 emergency calls were logged at the PDMC in Durban last night,” said KZN MEC for Cogta Nomusa Dube-Ncube.

Dozens of incidents of collapsed walls and flooded homes have been reported throughout the night, with 235 Durban homes already assessed as damaged. The assessment continues both in respect of private properties and public infrastructure. Roads have been flooded too, disrupting traffic as KZN enters the first working day after the long Easter weekend.

“We are also calling on residents of low-lying areas to move to higher ground without delay. And motorists and pedestrians are urged to exercise utmost caution on the roads that are already flooded or where there is high risk of flash flooding,” said Dube-Ncube.

Today Cogta MEC Nomusa Dube-Ncube, Human Settlement and Public Works MEC Ravi Pillay, Ethekwini Mayor Zandile Gumede and Deputy Mayor Fawzia Peer and Exco led various assessments and relief efforts in various parts of the province.

KZN Cogta is working closely with the eThekwini metro and other affected municipalities to ensure that all emergency relief efforts are coordinated and timeous. The authorities have also reported 145 displaced persons, some of whom have already found refuge with relatives. Those without alternative accommodation will be provided with temporary shelter as close to their homes as possible.

“At the same time, we would like to assure the general public that our disaster management teams are working round the clock to attend to all reported incidents. Where help is needed, it is already on its way or will be very soon. We are overwhelmed but our presence throughout KZN ensures that we will be able to assist everywhere we are called,” said Dube-Ncube.

For more information contact: KZN Cogta spokesperson Lennox Mabaso, 082 884 2403

 

Twitter: www.twitter.com/kzncogta

Facebook: www.facebook.com/kzncogta

Instagram: www.instagram.com/kzncogta

Website: www.kzncogta.gov.za

Ends.