WATCH: Emergency services ‘stretched to the max’ in flood-hit KZN
Heavy rains lashing KwaZulu Natal have continued to wreak havoc across the province - with reports of major localised flooding coming through.
Residents living in the Umdloti Isikhulu building in the north of Durban had to be evacuated after floodwaters streamed through the north beach road complex on Monday.
eThekwini metro police spokesperson Parboo Sewpersad says officials have worked tirelessly to help residents evacuate the premises.”The apartment has been flooded due to the construction or the sand, and has given way with the water and has come down to the flat.
“The building is not on the verge of collapsing, it is the water from the upper-laying areas which has made its way through the flats onto the roadway.”
Durban Floods: M7 Highway at Bluff pic.twitter.com/KEHr2pF6JQ
— TrafficSA (@TrafficSA) April 12, 2022
Emergency teams like Medi Response medics have been assisting them.
The integrity of the residential building was compromised by gushing water undermining its foundations.
Spokesperson Paul Herbst says a woman, who recently had surgery and couldn't leave her home was also moved to a place of safety.
In a separate incident, residents were forced to flee when mudslide smashed into a house in the area - sending in torrents of water and debris.
”We have been working flat out for the past 12 hours. We are currently working on three different rescues where vehicles have been swept away in rivers in the Tongaat area, the Lindelani area and the Stanger area.
“Unfortunately all vehicles, sight have been lost and the occupants of the vehicles are currently still in the vehicles.”
NORTH COAST LASHED BY TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS | Floods and mudslides caused by the torrential downpour we've been experiencing has led to massive damage to areas across Durban, Umdloti one of the suburbs particularly hard hit today. What's happening around you? #kznfloods pic.twitter.com/J38loffqLb
— Marshall Security (@marshall_sec) April 11, 2022
Heavy rain has flooded properties and roads.
Marshal Security's Tyron Powell says their response teams and resources have been spread thin due to the weather chaos in in uMdloti.
“The guys have been assisting pulling vehicles from thick mud and that.
We have been trying to assist wherever we can where people’s homes have been flooding. It’s difficult, there is so much going on at the moment, emergency services are stretched to the max.
“The guys really are struggling out there but it’s just making it worse when people are out on the roads.”
