Saturday , April 20 2024 5:05 am

South Africa floods: Death toll after heavy rains rises to 51

Floods and mudslides in the South African city of Durban and the wider KwaZulu-Natal province have killed at least 51 people, officials say.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has flown into the region to visit the affected areas.

Southern and eastern parts of the country have been badly hit by torrential rain in the last few days.

More flooding and strong winds are expected in coastal areas and a severe weather warning is still in place.

Pictures from the region show that parts of some roads have been washed away and buildings have been destroyed by landslides.

Provincial minister Nomusa Dube-Ncube told SAFM radio that officials are continuing to assess the damage, according to news agency AFP.

In the long term people may have to be moved from the affected areas, she added.

“Our hearts go out particularly to families and communities who have been directly affected by death, injury and the loss of property,” President Ramaphosa said in a statement.

“This situation calls on all of us to pull together as a country to reach out to affected communities.”

Dozens of people have been taken to hospital and search and rescue teams are looking for more survivors under the rubble of collapsed buildings.

By: bbc.com

Check Also

Burkina Faso: At least 15 dead in Catholic church attack

At least 15 people have been killed and two others injured following an attack on …

Senegal president says he’ll stand down on 2 April

The President of Senegal, Macky Sall, has said he will stand down on 2 April …

Macky Sall

The President of Senegal announces his intention to step down on April 2nd

Senegal President Macky Sall has said he will stand down on 2 April when his …

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *