Search for missing in South African floods

Johannesburg: The death toll from a flash flood that swept away members of a church congregation along the Jukskei River in Johannesburg has risen from nine to 14, South African officials have confirmed.

Rescue teams resumed search operations yesterday with at least three people still missing.

Twelve bodies were recovered on Sunday, in addition to the two bodies recovered on Saturday, Johannesburg Emergency Services spokesman Robert Mulaudzi said.

Members of the congregation were participating in rituals along the river when a flash flood swept away several of the worshippers.

The riverside services were being conducted near the populous Alexandra township, in eastern Johannesburg, however some of the bodies were found far downstream on the Jukskei, one of Johannesburg’s largest rivers.

Rescue operations were delayed due to heavy rain.

Yesterday, the South African Weather Service warned that continued heavy rain may lead to more flooding in large parts of Gauteng province this week.

Communities living along the banks of the Jukskei River have been warned to exercise caution.

Brussels: More than six years after the deadliest peacetime attack on Belgian soil, the trial of 10 men accused over the suicide bombings at Brussels airport and a subway station began in earnest under high security yesterday.

Among the accused is Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor among the Islamic State extremists who in 2015 struck the Bataclan theatre in Paris, city cafes and France’s national stadium.

He was taken to court in an armoured police vehicle.

The 10 defendants face charges including murder, attempted murder and membership of, or participation in the acts of, a terrorist group, over the morning rush-hour attacks at Belgium’s main airport on March 22, 2016.

In all, 32 people were killed and around 900 others were injured or suffered mental trauma.

The trial was initially expected to start in October but was pushed back to allow changes to the seating arrangements for the defendants.

More than 300 witnesses could be questioned during the hearings, which are being held at a court in the former headquarters of Nato, on the outskirts of the Belgian capital and are expected to run for six to nine months.

Susono: Three teachers at a nursery school in central Japan have been arrested on suspicion of routinely abusing toddlers, including hitting their heads, holding them upside down and locking them up in a bathroom, in a case that has triggered outrage and allegations of a cover-up.

The Shizuoka prefectural police said they arrested three women on Sunday on suspicion of assaulting at least three toddlers in June at a nursery school in the city of Susono at the foot of Mount Fuji.

Susono Mayor Harukaze Murata told reporters yesterday that he has also filed a criminal complaint against the school’s director, Toshihiko Sakurai, for allegedly covering up the abuses, and urged police to widen their investigation.