Amanzimtoti beachgoers warned not to breach river mouths

Holidaymakers and the Amanzimtoti public are warned to refrain from opening a river mouth or digging near a river mouth.

The Amanzimtoti River breached into the sea on Tuesday night, 4 July and it is suspected that this happened due to some some human interference.

The warning comes from Toti Conservancy after holidaymakers were twice stopped from digging at the mouth while ‘just having fun’ on Sunday, 2 July.

The conservancy’s Corinne Winson said the second time the holidaymakers were stopped from digging was with paddle boats out on the lagoon.

“First it is illegal and second, very dangerous,” she said. “We don’t want any holidaymakers being washed out to sea on paddle boats.”

There was an incident where that happened many years ago in Toti. Members of the public who have not had the pleasure of witnessing a river mouth being breached cannot comprehend just how quickly it can happen and the devastating force of the water.

READ ALSO: Flooding Toti River mouth breached (PHOTOS & VIDEOS)

A river should only be breached under the watchful eye of beach management and after permission is granted by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife officers.

The Amanzimtoti River was legally breached twice in 2015 after Civic Road flooded due to the river level rising after heavy rains.