Homes destroyed by torrential rain
DISASTER management teams have been dispatched to Newcastle in northern KwaZulu-Natal, where families have been displaced by torrential rainfall‚ which left large parts of the town flooded.
Newcastle mayor Makhosini Nkosi said the Ncandu River banks had burst and the Ngane River was overflowing.
“There is flooding around the taxi rank and parts of the central business district,” Nkosi said.
“More than 20 houses have been flooded and in Madadeni two informal houses were demolished.
“Four halls are being used to house around 24 families‚ who have been provided with necessities such as blankets and food parcels.”
He said about eight families‚ who had been forced to leave their homes because of rising waters‚ were staying with family and friends.
“People are being warned not to cross rivers and streams as the flow of water is very heavy‚” Nkosi said.
He said the water level at Ntshingwayo Dam‚ which supplies Newcastle‚ Dannhauser and Dundee‚ had risen to 87.3% and was expected to increase.
Also in KwaZulu-Natal, a man was saved from the surging rapids of a river in flood after his car was swept off a low-lying bridge in Tongaat‚ near Durban‚ yesterday.
Ismail Mitha‚ of Bigshow Towing‚ said he had received a report from a bystander of a car stuck in the middle of the river.
“When I arrived the car was stuck in the river with water gushing over it,” Mitha said.
“I watched [the driver] get out of the window, because the door wouldn’t work. He was swept away down the river‚” Mitha said.
Workers from a nearby business had some rope and threw a lifeline to the floundering man.
“They pulled him out and he’s unharmed. We’ve pulled the car out now too,” Mitha said.
The driver refused to be identified and declined to comment. – Additional reporting Jeff Wicks