Several people have died and dozens of homes have been destroyed following severe flash floods in parts of KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa.
The flooding came after heavy rainfall and strong winds hit the province beginning on June 27, 2023. Within a 24-hour period to June 28, the community of Paddock in Ugu District recorded 176mm of rain, while Sezela, also in Ugu District, recorded 84mm. In Mount Edgecombe, located in eThekwini, the Greater Durban Metropolitan area, 72mm of rain was recorded during the same period.
Emergency services carried out multiple rescue operations across eThekwini on June 28. Members of the Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) rescued residents trapped in flooded homes in Phoenix and Verulam. Flooded roads caused major traffic disruptions, and several motorists were stranded after their vehicles became submerged between Phoenix and Verulam.
One person went missing and is presumed to have drowned while attempting to cross a flooded river in Zwelisha. Search and Rescue teams from RUSA were deployed to locate the victim, but the search proved unsuccessful.
According to the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, four people were confirmed dead as of June 29, including three in eThekwini and one in Ugu District, where four others were injured. Local media later reported that three additional bodies were found along the Umbilo River in eThekwini, bringing the unconfirmed death toll to seven.
The floods caused extensive damage to homes, schools, and agricultural areas. Authorities reported that 70 houses were destroyed and 110 damaged in eThekwini Metro, affecting 552 people and leaving 151 homeless. In Ugu District, one house was destroyed and three others partially damaged, affecting 29 people and leaving one person homeless.
Ten school buildings in Pinetown District were also damaged, and hundreds of livestock were lost. The heavy rains led to pollution at Durban’s Blue Lagoon Beach, caused by debris washed down from the Umgeni River.
On June 28, the South African Weather Service (SAWS) confirmed that a landspout occurred in the Inanda and Phoenix areas of KwaZulu-Natal.
