At least 59 people died in floods and landslides in South Africa, a country affected for several days by heavy rains on its east coast, local authorities said today. In the city of Durban, the largest in Kwazulu-Natal province, 45 people died, and “at least 14” in the adjoining district of Ilembe, provincial authorities said in a statement.
Rescue efforts took place throughout the day, especially in the Durban region, one of the main ports of the continent open to the Indian Ocean. In turn, the army was deployed to provide air support during the tasks. More than 2,000 houses and 4,000 informal homes were damaged by torrential rains, Sihle Zikalala, the province’s governor, said during a televised news conference.
The president of the African nation, Cyril Ramaphosa, regretted a “tragic balance” and announced in a statement that he would travel to the affected area on Wednesday. It is worth mentioning that the rains, which have not yet ceased and are expected to continue, also caused major power cuts, affected the water supply and blocked roads.
