WATCH: Taxi swept away by floods in KZN, four people injured

A minibus taxi carrying passengers was swept off a bridge in KwaZulu-Natal on Wednesday as severe weather continued in the province.

Police in the province said on Wednesday they were called to the scene where the taxi was swept away to assist medical rescue services and the Msunduzi Fire Department.

Police said four occupants were in the taxi when it was swept off a low-level bridge at Slangspruit River at the end of Barnsley Road in Msunduzi, Pietermaritzburg.

“Four people including the driver were transported by ER24 to hospital for treatment,” police said.

ER24 said the four occupants were lucky to be alive after the taxi they were travelling in was forced off the road and into the swollen Duzi river in the Camps Drift area of Pietermaritzburg on Wednesday afternoon.

“Flash flooding from the heavy rain in the area meant the normally calm stream had burst over the top of the bridge, taking the taxi with it. Luckily a series of concrete bollards caught the vehicle before it dropped further over into the deeper water,” ER24 said in a statement.

“Two men had managed to climb to safety at that point, but two others, a man and a woman, were taken by the river. By the time ER24 were on the scene just before 6pm, Search & Rescue had managed to pull the two others from the reeds further down the river.

“All four were treated on scene for minor cuts and abrasions – the lady who had been in the water the longest was found to be suffering from mild hypothermia. ER24 transported two and another service on the scene transported the other two through to Edendale Hospital for further care.”

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Meanwhile, the provincial executive council (PEC) in KwaZulu-Natal on Wednesday received a preliminary report on the recent disaster incidents following severe weather conditions in the province.

The province of KwaZulu-Natal has been experiencing extreme weather conditions, triggering severe thunderstorms, lightning strikes, gale-force winds, and heavy downpours which have wreaked havoc across the province. They have caused fatalities, injuries, and inflicted major damage to households and public infrastructure.

These disastrous incidents were largely experienced in areas such as eThekwini, Abaqulusi, Jozini, uMgungundlovu, uMzinyathi, Ilembe, Harry Gwala, uThukela.

The PEC noted that the report remained provisional at this stage, as detailed assessments to quantify the damage are still work in progress, with the latest recorded tornado incident.

The summary of the impact of the disaster incidents since October are as follows:

• 798 households were affected
• 14 fatalities have been reported, excluding the latest uMshwathi incident (assessments still ongoing)
• 19 injuries

(Compiled by Makhosandile Zulu)

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