ALAN FINLAY, Johannesburg | Tuesday 8.00pm.
AT least three people drowned and one person is missing after being washed away by floods caused by torrential rains along the KwaZulu-Natal coast on Tuesday. Hundreds have been left homeless.
Police spokesman Director Bala Naidoo said a man died and seven people had to be rescued from floodwaters when a bus was submerged on a road about 10km outside the coastal city of Durban, the worst hit area.
The seven survivors were injured and were taken to a nearby hospital.
Durban Metro rescue services spokesman Neville Padayachee said a woman drowned while trying to cross a road in Glen Anil suburb north of Durban.
A third person drowned while attempting to cross a flooded bridge over the swollen Umgeni River. Her body later washed up on the river bank.
Police spokesperson Vish Naidoo said the heavy rain has continued unabated since Monday morning. “It’s been raining on and off for five days,” he said. “Now it is just pouring down.”
Police and emergency services are on full alert. Streets, shops and cars in the Durban city centre have been flooded, with reports of the water being waist-high in places.
Naidoo said people have been advised to go home.
Police have received reports of damage to informal settlements in outlying areas. At least one road to the north of Durban was washed away.
A police station flooded near the city’s beach front and animals, including goats and sheep, managed to break out of a petting zoo on the Marine Parade.
The pump room at the popular Seaworld along the beachfront flooded too, but the problem has been resolved. “The pump stopped working but the Durban Metro Fire Department and a few diving companies helped us out,” said Seaworld’s Laura Naidoo, adding that the dolphins and fish at aquarium are safe.
“It’s unbelievable. These floods must be worse than 1987. Just when we thought it was about to let up, it came down in buckets.”
The weather department has forcast more thundershowers from the region with heavy rain in places.
Police said accomodation will be found for anyone left homeless by the storms. “The situation is under control at the moment, but if the rain continues we expect the worst,” Naidoo said.