The deployment came after the Gauteng COGTA made a request to the City of Johannesburg to avail Technicians to join the Search and Rescue mission after KwaZulu-Natal was hit by heavy rains and flooding, which resulted in the loss of lives and displacement.

The MMC of Public Safety in the City of Johannesburg Councilor David Tembe together with the Management of Johannesburg Emergency Management Services welcomed the Johannesburg EMS as they return home at Northview Fire Station.

They were part of the greater mission that responded to the floods in KZN between the 11th and 13th April 2022 which resulted in the deaths of 448 people and countless being displaced and left homeless.

There was landslides as well as the flooding and on 18 April, the President of South Africa declared a national state of disaster due to floods severity. The most urgent needs were fresh drinking water, food,hygiene packs and counselling for the many that experienced trauma during this period.

On The 18th April the SA government posted these numbers about the state of disaster.

National State of Disaster-In-Numbers – 18 April 2022

• Between 200 and 400 mm – rainfall received in parts of KwaZulu-Natal in a 24-hour period, on 11 and 12 April 2022.
• 443 – people known to have lost their lives in KwaZulu-Natal, by 18 April 2022.
• Approximately 48 – people missing or unaccounted for, by 18 April 2022.
• About 300 – homes destroyed by a devastating fire in Langa in the Western Cape.
• Around 1 000 – people displaced by a devastating fire in Langa in the Western Cape.
• Nearly 4 000 – homes completely destroyed by the floods in KwaZulu-Natal.
• Over 8 300 – homes partially damaged by the floods in KwaZulu-Natal.
• More than 40 000 – estimated number of people displaced by the floods.

• 13 000 – heavy vehicles that the flood-damaged Bayhead Road handles per day.
• Over 270 000 – estimated number of learners affected by the floods.
• Over 600 – schools damaged by the floods.
• 16 – schools that cannot be accessed due to damage to connecting roads and bridges, by 18 April 2022.
• 66 – public healthcare facilities affected by the floods.
• 247 – number of rescue operations, by 18 April 2022.
• 100 – additional water tankers deployed in KwaZulu-Natal, by 18 April 2022.
• Around 1 300 – road repair projects identified by the agencies involved, by 18 April 2022.
• R1 billion – money that National Treasury has made immediately available to provide relief and to rebuild.

Issued by: Government CommunicationsMore from: Government Communication and Information System (GCIS)

Johannesburg EMS return home.

Now read: KZN floods leave a trail of destruction, one death reported