Rescue teams search the river for the missing persons after the KZN floods. Picture: Arrive Alive
As disastrous weather wreaks havoc across the country, one person believed to have drowned in devastating floods in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) has been found alive and well.
At least seven people have lost their lives after flash floods hit Ladysmith and other parts of the province since Sunday.
Rainy weather has made search and rescue difficult for emergency services, who responded to reports of two people, including a child, being swept away while trying to cross a river in Sundumbili, Northern KZN.
ALSO READ: At least six people dead, 10 still missing after flash floods in Ladysmith
IPSS Medical Rescue spokesperson Dylan Meyrick told The Citizen, a mother, father and their 8-year-old daughter were making the crossing in the early hours of the morning when they were carried away.
The mother managed to make it to the bank of the river and alerted police. Rescuers were called to try to find the father and daughter.
The girl’s body was recovered on Tuesday.
The father, who was presumed to have been washed away and drowned in the flooding, was discovered by police at home and safe.
“Sundumbili SAPS continued conducting their investigation by interviewing friends and family of the missing adult victim. During this time they were found at home and unharmed,” reported Arrive Alive.
He had managed to pull themselves from the water and reportedly “proceeded home in a panic”.
In Ladysmith, six people died in a flooding incident and at least 12 are still missing.
Rescue operations will continue throughout the week, but conditions and low signal quality have frustrated some efforts.
The KZN Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs said three vehicles travelling on the N11 were swept away in flash floods.
ALSO READ: It’s going to be a wet New Year
“The heavy rains on Christmas Eve resulted in the Bellspuit River, which runs under the Mbonontathu bridge, bursting its banks, causing water to overflow onto the N11 road near the Limit Hill robots in Ladysmith Town.
“This resulted in severe damage to infrastructure and several vehicles were swept away. One home was completely destroyed, one family member found dead, [and] two are still missing,” said the department.
Meanwhile, the SA Weather Service has warned Gauteng residents of disruptive rainfall that could lead to localised flooding in the province on Wednesday.
City of Joburg Emergency Services (EMS) spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi urged motorists to drive safely and residents to avoid low-lying bridges and roads, where risk of flooding was foreseen.
“City of Joburg EMS Aquatic Rescue Unit which is a Specialized Unit which responds to water-related emergencies remains on high alert monitoring all seven regions of the City of Johannesburg. Residents are urged to avoid crossing river streams and young children to stay away from river streams.
NOW READ: Heritage Day floods in Western Cape declared ‘national disaster’ costing almost R600m in damages
Download our app and read this and other great stories on the move. Available for Android and iOS.
