Heavy rains continue to cause damage.
- Heavy rains have wreaked havoc in parts of the country.
- Several people have lost property, vehicles have been swept away and some owners have been trapped.
- Four local municipalities in the Chris Hani area.
Disaster management teams are on high alert across the country following continued heavy rains that have already resulted in vehicles being submerged and washed away, homeowners trapped on roofs, walls collapsing, and shacks and houses decimated.
Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma urges communities to be cautious while traveling amid heavy rains that continue to batter many parts of our country.
“Due to [these] heavy downpours, many areas are flooded, rivers are overflowing [several] provinces, people have lost property and infrastructure such as roads and bridges are also damaged,” Cogta said in a statement on Saturday.
The National Disaster Management Center (NDMC) said they are liaising with local and provincial disaster management centers on the ground and coordinating with all actors as the heavy downpours continue.
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According to recent reports from the South African Weather Service (SAWS), the ground in many other areas that have been receiving rain is already saturated.
“There are areas that are known to be prone to flooding, as such communities are required to treat these and all other areas as potentially dangerous and desist from endangering their lives,” Cogta said.
“According to the SAWS report, these severe weather conditions still show no signs of stopping. The public is therefore urged to follow the regular updates and advisory messages from SAWS while monitoring the weather and weather conditions,” Cogta added. .
The minister called on communities across the country to help those in need and affected by the floods, especially those displaced by the loss of their homes, while they are inundated and not conducive to human occupation.
Dlamini-Zuma said:
those who [can] It is encouraged to donate essential items to collaborate by working with the municipalities and the affected communities themselves. We urge you to be vigilant, cautious and pay attention to the calls of the relevant authorities.
Meanwhile, assessments are currently underway in the Chris Hani township area, as four local townships have since been affected by severe weather conditions. The municipalities are Enoch Mgijima, Dr AB Xuma, Emalahleni and Intsika Yethu LM.
Road infrastructure and bridges have been severely affected and some have collapsed.
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“Our Disaster Management team[el sábado por la mañana]it had to be sent to Zone 1 in Ezibeleni, where houses were reportedly flooded. We commend the quick response from all relevant stakeholders, including industry departments, in support of the affected families. This intervention has helped mitigate future contingencies,” spokesperson Bulelwa Ganyaza said.[onSaturdaymorning)hadtobedispatchedtoZone1inEzibeleniwherehouseswerereportedtobefloodedWecommendtheswiftresponsebyallrelevantstakeholdersincludingsectordepartmentsinsupportoftheaffectedfamiliesThisinterventionhasgreatlyassistedinmitigating”furthereventualitieswaranyazaBsa[onSaturdaymorning)hadtobedispatchedtoZone1inEzibeleniwherehouseswerereportedtobefloodedWecommendtheswiftresponsebyallrelevantstakeholdersincludingsectordepartmentsinsupportoftheaffected familiesThisinterventionhasgreatlyassistedinmitigatingfurthereventualities”saidspokespersonBulelwaGanyaza
The municipality also extended its thanks to all those who have reached out adding their weight in support of the flood victims from the community, the church, NGOs and different political organizations including companies.
Level 9 and 5 Orange Warning for disruptive rain that will cause flooding in parts of KZN from tonight through tomorrow morning (11-12 February 2023). pic.twitter.com/Qxyf6Klpfl
— SA Weather Service (@SAWeatherServic) February 11, 2023
Since then, support and contributions of clothing, blankets, mattresses, groceries, hygiene items and baby care items, including sleeping bags, have been received and distributed to affected families.
“Our Disaster Management, Emergency Services, Red Cross and Gift of the Givers teams are still hard at work to provide all necessary assistance,” added Ganyaza.
The South African Weather Service did not reply at the time of publication, your comment will be added upon receipt.
