At least 253 dead in South Africa floods
Johannesburg, Apr 13 (EFE).- At least 253 people have died in eastern South Africa due to floods triggered by heavy rainfall, authorities said on Wednesday.
The floods hit the eastern coastal province of KwaZulu-Natal the hardest, leaving homes inundated and without power.
“As of late last night, we had received something close to 253 bodies in our two different mortuaries,” provincial health chief, Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu, told eNCA television.
The city of Durban, the country’s third most populous, was particularly badly affected.
The Durban Harbour, the largest shipping terminal in sub-Saharan Africa, had to suspend its operations amid the floods that left the area’s roads impassable.
South Africa’s president Cyril Ramaphosa arrived in KwaZulu-Natal early in the day to visit areas affected by the floods.
“This situation calls on us to come together as a nation and offer assistance to those who desperately need our care and support,” Ramaphosa said during a speech Tuesday evening.
Heavy rain hit the region over the weekend and worsened on Monday. It is expected to continue throughout the Holy Week.
In 2019, around 80 people died in this region in floods caused by torrential rains. EFE
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