Image Source: News24
Local – More than 400 residents, including nearly 200 children, have been affected by severe flooding in the uMshwathi Local Municipality following days of heavy rain.
National emergency housing teams have now been deployed to assist displaced families affected by the storm.
Human Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane confirmed that a team from the national department responsible for emergency housing has been dispatched to work alongside KwaZulu-Natal officials to support affected households.
Preliminary assessments indicate that close to 200 children and 163 women are among those impacted by the flooding.
Officials say the intervention will focus on determining the extent of the damage and the type of support required for displaced families.
Emergency housing assistance forms part of the department’s disaster response plan, which includes several forms of intervention depending on the level of destruction.
“The team is currently conducting a full assessment, which will determine the required intervention. There are four categories of emergency housing interventions provided by the department, namely, restoration, relocation, rebuilding and repairs.
“Should there be a need for the relocation of the affected households, the municipality will have to identify a piece of land that will be suitable for human settlement,” Simelane said.
Fatal Flooding Sparks Safety Appeal
The department has conveyed condolences to the family of a woman who lost her life during the heavy rains.
Her body was recovered from the Injasuthi River in New Hanover under the uMshwathi Municipality on Monday. She was among three people who were swept away.
The fatal incident has heightened warnings about safety in flood-prone areas, where rising water levels continue to pose a threat to informal settlements and low-lying communities.
“These are difficult times for our sector. We appeal to our communities to be vigilant, exercise caution and refrain from building structures on flood lines or areas prone to floods,” Simelane said.
KwaZulu-Natal Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC Thulasizwe Buthelezi visited flood-affected areas in uMshwathi on Tuesday to assess the damage and oversee relief efforts.
Buthelezi also called on municipalities across the province to enforce bylaws preventing people from building houses without permission, saying more vigorous enforcement is necessary to reduce disaster risks and prevent further loss of life and property.
