The death toll due to severe flooding in South Africa’s eastern KwaZulu-Natal province rose on Saturday with three more deaths, bringing the total to 398, and at least 27 people are still missing, official sources said. Emergency teams continue to work in the devastated area, which is again on alert due to the forecast of heavy rains and winds. Local authorities, who have described this disaster as one of the “darkest” moments in the province’s history, estimate that around 40,000 people have been affected by the floods since the torrential rains began last Monday. They also estimate that 3,937 houses were totally destroyed and 8,039 partially damaged.
The most affected region is the Durban area, which is the largest city in KwaZulu-Natal and the third largest in South Africa. Electricity infrastructure, running water and many medical centers were severely damaged. According to calculations by Mxolisi Kaunda, mayor of Durban, the damage in that municipality alone was quantified on Thursday at 757 million rand (about 50 million euros).
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