FLOODS: 6 dead in Ugu District as KZN number climbs to 341

KZN Premier Sihle Zikalala recently released the following statement:

A total number of 40 723 people have been affected.

341 fatalities have been recorded, with eThekwini standing at 301, Ugu at six, uMzinyathi at two, King Cetshwayo at four and Ilembe at 28.

They are still tallying up the number of missing people.

A total of 55 injuries have been registered. More than 248 schools have been damaged.

Members of the executive council joined mayors and councillors in responding and leading interventions in affected districts.

They have visited eThekwini, Ilembe, Ugu, Uthukela, uMzinyathi and uMgungundlovu as the most affected districts in the province.

Premier Zikalala said the magnitude of the damage, which is still being quantified, will definitely run into billions of rands.

“Service disruption on water supplies and electricity provision has been experienced in many parts of the province. Teams are working to return normality to all of their systems.”

UGU DISTRICT:

Leadership led by Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane and Ugu Mayor Cllr Phumlile Mthiyane were busy inspecting district wide damages on Thursday. They visited the Makhoso area in Mthwalume  where a woman (55) allegedly drowned whilst trying to get home.

Premier Zikalala further stated the following:

ELECTRICITY

eThekwini experienced major power disruptions. They have now been advised by the mayor that power has been restored to most parts of the city and only three substations remain off because of extensive damage. These are Wentworth, Toyota and Prospecton. Teams are also working hard to restore power in areas around Inanda Dam.*

WATER

eThekwini Metro is also experiencing major water disruptions due to the damage to two, out of four of Umgeni Water’s Nagle aqueducts. These are the aqueducts that supply water to Umgeni Water’s biggest water treatment works called Durban Heights.

This waterworks normally supplies about 540 megalitres per day to the city. Currently, this capacity has been reduced to about 350 megalitres per day. As a result, a number of areas have already run out of water. Tongaat Waterworks that supplies the whole of Tongaat suffered serious damage that will take months to repair.

In the interim, the municipality will be deploying more water tankers and is currently procuring a package plant that will be able to supply water. Umgeni Water and Cogta have also committed to assist with additional water tankers.

For Inanda Dam, electricity is going to be back, all should be back to normal in terms of water storage. More work will continue on the distribution infrastructure. This will enable a refill to a number of reservoirs before communities can start receiving water.

They called upon residents to work with them as they are doing everything to return everything to normal. Some of this will take a bit of time. This has been caused by a force of nature that we could not control. They are doing their best to return the lives to normalcy.

ROAD NETWORKS

The road networks have taken a huge battering. They have proceeded with emergency work to clear roads and return access to highways such as N2, N3 and other important networks. More and more areas are becoming accessible and enabling the speed of emergency relief supply.

Challenged Roads:

• Bay Head is completely closed as it has collapsed as a strategic route for the movement of cargo coming in and out of the province. Its closure will have severe impact on the economic activities of the province and country. Trucks are unable to access container terminals. M7 which is the route used by trucks from Bay head is also experiencing some failure so there is currently mop up work to clear the debris.

• N2 North Coast at Umhlali Bridge the northbound is closed and traffic diverted to the southbound as the bridge has shifted… the current congestion is making the movement difficult especially between Durban/KwaDukuza to areas of Northern Coast (Empangeni to Zululand)

• N2 South Coast at Umgababa, the northbound is closed and traffic is diverted to southbound (traffic diverted to R103). There are huge traffic congestions

• N2 South Coast at Umkomaas, the southbound is closed and the traffic diverted to northbound on contraflow

• N2 South Coast near Adams onramp, northbound, slow lane closed due to sinkhole

• N2 Isibaya (one lane is closed expect traffic congestion) this might affect those travelling in and out of airport in particular those coming for leisure in KZN

• N3 to Durban Two lanes closed at Camperdown for clean up

• Delays continue N3 at Mariannhill Toll Plaza and M1 Richmond Road

Priority is also being given to township roads where the entry and exit point have been cut off due to roads and bridges being severely damaged. Road has collapsed at the Umlazi split between M1 Higginson Highway and the Umlazi Split.

RELIEF SUPPLY

All responder departments and municipalities are now on the ground providing relief support and emergency need to our communities. They need more TLBs, excavators and other plant equipment to assist in other areas and to cope with the demand.

The Department of Transport has committed to support with some of its heavy fleet to accelerate the process of clearing of roads and creating alternative routes to affected residents.

Psycho-social support and social relief of distress including food, vouchers and blankets is being offered through the Department of Social Development to bereaved and affected families. Municipalities will announce on burial assistance to the bereaved families who need support. The Provincial Executive Council has announce a Provincial Day of Prayer.

VISIT BY NATIONAL MINISTERS

They will continue to intensify their response efforts as they will be re-inforced by the visit of the National Minister of Water and Sanitation Senzo Mchunu, Minister of Transport, Fikile Mabalula and Minister of Human Settlements, Mamoloko Kubayi.

As the province prepares to celebrate the Easter holiday season, KwaZulu-Natal is gearing up to welcome holiday-makers from across the province and the country. The provincial government has activated seasonal contingency plans to recover all the sectors of the economy.

King Shaka International Airport will remain open for the Easter weekend. This is part of a groundswell of positive things happening in KZN and the country as a whole after a triple whammy of the economic recession, the Covid-19 pandemic and the July 2021 unrest. Tourism contributes 10 percent to the KZN economy. The availability of airlines is critical to that function.

The number of vehicles going through the tollgates suggests that there were quite large volumes of potential tourists coming to KwaZulu-Natal from the two source markets which is Gauteng and intra- KZN.