Members of the community sifted through the rubble before retrieving the bodies of the 72-year-old woman, her 34-year-old daughter, and 13-year-old granddaughter.
A woman and her three grandchildren also drowned after their vehicle was swept off a bridge in Tongaat. Initial attempts to locate the vehicle were unsuccessful after the river burst its banks.
The vehicle was later recovered further downstream after the water had subsided and the occupants were declared dead.
Reaction officers were called to Ndwedwe after the discovery of the body of a woman. Three other people were presumed to have also drowned in the area, however, their bodies are yet to be recovered.
Rusa also received requests from residents in the area to help recover the bodies of three people who were presumed to have drowned in their house. However, Rusa members were unable to gain access to the location due to roads being washed away and the terrain unsuitable for an aircraft to land.
The families of 25 people also made contact with the reaction unit to help find their missing loved ones.
“Ten people have since made contact with their families. They claimed that they had sought refuge from the downpour and, due to infrastructure damage, were unable to make contact with anyone,” said Rusa.
The provincial government expects the number of deaths to rise as the province prepares to begin mop-up operations.
http://sundayworld.co.za/news/south-africa/children-among-victims-of-deadly-floods-in-kwazulu-natal/
Teachers and learners trapped in flooded KZN school
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