KZN rescue teams search for 7-year-old who was swept off bridge

The heavy rains in KwaZulu-Natal have struck again, this time claiming a seven-year-old boy who was swept away while walking home from school.

On Tuesday, IPSS spokesperson Dylan Meyrick said rescue teams were searching the Nonoti River in Darnell, Durban.

“The [seven-year-old] was walking home from school and was washed off a low-level bridge. The river is in full flood.”

The search had to be called off at around 17.30pm due to poor weather conditions and lightning, said IPSS spokesperson Paul Herbst.

“The search will continue at first light tomorrow [Wednesday] morning, weather dependent,” he added.

On Monday, an elderly Amaoti couple Nomathamsanqa Nyangule, 55, and Simangaliso Zondo, 69, died after the roof and wall of their house collapsed on them at around 21.00pm.

Also on Monday in rural KwaZulu-Natal, an Okhahlamba woman, 24-year-old Sthembile Zimba, was killed following a lightning strike.

The province has been hit hard by storms since Monday, with disaster teams being placed on standby since Sunday afternoon after forecasters predicted heavy rains.

The M4 between Sibaya and Umhlanga was still closed on Tuesday after a piece of the beach adjacent to the road was washed away on Monday.

There were multiple reports of damage to property and flooding in the eThekwini Metro.

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