Ladysmith KZN: 4 dead after taxi is swept away by flash flooding in Weenen
1 male and 3 females were the victims
Four people were tragically killed after a fully-loaded taxi was swept away by flash flooding yesterday afternoon (March 27) in the Weenen area.
The taxi was trying to cross a low-lying bridge on the Umtshezi River. Some of the passengers managed to get out of the vehicle, but four didn’t make it and were washed away by the fast-flowing water.
One male and three females were the victims of this tragic incident.
Warrant Officer Jacques Meyer from the Ladysmith K9 Search & Rescue Unit responded to the scene today (March 28), along with Weneen police and community members. A search was then undertaken for the missing occupants of the vehicle.
W/O Meyer, with the help of the community, managed to recover two bodies (a man and a woman) today, with the two other females still missing.
Also read: Search and Rescue officers hunt for missing senior citizen
KZN MEC for COGTA Sipho Hlomuka is saddened by the fatalities. He said that disaster management teams are working non-stop to locate the two missing females, who are believed to be from one family.
MEC Hlomuka has appealed to drivers to be vigilant and avoid crossing flooded bridges, as this is dangerous. He has also called for an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident, to determine whether there was negligence on the part of the driver in crossing the flooded river.
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