Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za

2-minute read
27 December 2023 | 21:46 CAT

Man and child drown in Mandeni, search for 11 missing in Ladysmith continues. Picture: KZN government/X

Rescue teams battled in torrential rain on Tuesday to find victims of flash floods across KwaZulu-Natal that left at least seven dead and 11 missing, officials said.

A muddy deluge up to 10 metres (33 feet) deep swept through a district of Ladysmith in KwaZulu Natal, destroying homes and carrying away cars, rescuers said.

Further south, an overflowing river at Mandeni carried away three people. One eight-year-old boy was confirmed dead, and one man was missing, the IPSS rescue organisation said.

Rainstorms held up the search for bodies in Ladysmith, 230 kilometres (140 miles) northwest of Durban, where the torrent hit late Sunday.

Tereza van den Berg, a team leader for IPSS, said that the torrent “in places 10 metres deep” tore through a caravan park and carried away vehicles crossing a bridge.

“Nobody had a chance to grab anything,” she said. Some of the cars were found three kilometres downstream.

Three bodies were found in a minibus carrying nine passengers. The other six are still missing.

KwaZulu-Natal Premier Dube-Ncube sent her condolences to the families of those killed in the floods in a statement on social media.

She said the heavy rains “resulted in the Bellspuit river, which runs under the Mbonothu bridge, bursting its banks, causing water to overflow onto the N11 road near the Limit Hill robots, in Ladysmith Town.”

The ongoing search has sparked a mix of desperation and hope among citizens.

Listen to the full interview on Your World Today with Mufti Yusuf Moosagie.