Over 300 displaced by Durban floods

Over 300 people have been displaced by flash floods in Durban that took place at the weekend.

"As of 3pm today‚ eThekwini Disaster Management Centre had recorded 325 people that had been displaced in Wards 74 and 79.

A total of 129 households were affected while 68 families required assistance interventions ranging from shelter‚ clothes and meals‚" municipal spokesman Thulani Mbatha said on Monday.

He said two children had died as a result of structural collapses in Chatsworth and Umlazi.

"South African Police Services reports indicate that four adults were washed away in a Shallcross river‚ two bodies have been found and two are still missing‚" Mbatha said.

Emergency and disaster teams were still assessing the damage caused by the heavy rainfall.

“The municipality will be able to release a consolidated report in a few days. We will then allow mop up operations to start and our medium to long term measures will be implemented.

“For now‚ we have opened the community halls in affected areas as the immediate relief. Hot meals and grocery hampers are being provided at these facilities‚” said Durban mayor James Nxumalo.

Meanwhile Umgeni Water on Monday said water restrictions remained in place as the weekend rainfall did little to break the crippling drought.

Umgeni Water spokesman Shami Harichunder said the heavy rainfall was localised in coastal areas therefore major catchments did not appear to have benefited.

"In the Hazelmere system rainfall received over the past 72 hours amounted to 100mm. As a result of this‚ the level of Hazelmere Dam has risen by 1%‚" he said.

Hazelmere Dam - a major source of water for the eThekwini and iLembe municipalities - is still being supported by water transfer into it from the uThongathi River emergency scheme.