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The catastrophe suffered last week due to intense rains continues to amplify the fatal consequences. Officials from the province of KwaZulu-Natal, the most affected region, confirmed the increase in victims and assured that the figure may increase. The scope of the victims extends to 40,000 people and around 12,000 houses were damaged.
The death toll rose due to the severe floods that occurred in the KwaZulu-Natal region, in eastern South Africa, as a result of the heavy rains that fell in the last week.
This Saturday three new deaths were known, which raise the number to 398 and the Ministry of Cooperative Government and Traditional Affairs of KwaZulu-Natal through a statement confirmed that there are another 27 with unknown whereabouts.
Emergency teams are still working in the devastated area, which is again under alert due to the forecast of more intense precipitation and winds.
Provincial authorities called this event one of the “darkest” moments in the region’s history. Estimates show that around 40,000 citizens were affected by the floods.
In addition, they calculate that 3,937 houses were totally destroyed by the water and another 8,039 were partially damaged. The value of the total damage is not yet stipulated, but it would amount to more than 80 million dollars.
Meanwhile, the local government declared a state of disaster in KwaZulu-Natal and deployed Army units to increase emergency work and search for the missing.
Spoke to members of the media after the church service on the situation in KwaZulu-Natal. We are closely monitoring the situation and facilitating assistance to families affected by the #KZNFloods. pic.twitter.com/0ApxbQiIwP
— Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 (@CyrilRamaphosa) April 15, 2022
The city of Durban, the third largest in South Africa and of strategic importance due to its access to the Ocean, is the hardest hit. The floods and subsequent landslides destroyed informal settlements, electricity and drinking water infrastructure. In addition, medical capacity is reduced.
The mayor of the City Council, Mxolisi Kaunda, explained that the estimates of damage in Durban amount to approximately 757 million rands, which is equivalent to 50 million euros.
The President of the Nation, Cyril Ramaphosa, went to the affected area last Wednesday. The president stated that the severe flooding was linked to climate change and that the catastrophe was “of enormous proportions.”
KwaZulu-Natal has a history of being the center of large-scale weather events in recent years. The most serious were in 2019, when heavy rains led to flooding and 80 deaths.
Finally, it was also the epicenter of a social outbreak with major riots in July last year. The worst events occurred in the province, registering 275 of the 354 deaths that occurred in those incidents.
with EFE
#Floods #South #Africa #record #dead #missing