People wade through the flooded Quarry Road East in Springfield, Durban on Sunday. Several roads were flooded across the city.
Image: DOCTOR NGCOBO Independent Newspapers
Torrential rainfall has triggered flash flooding across eThekwini Municipality, with reports of overflowing rivers, washed-away roads, and rising water levels in several communities.
Authorities said emergency response teams remained on high alert as a Level 5 weather warning for more severe downpours had been issued by the SA Weather Service for Sunday.
Social media videos circulating online showed flooded streets, submerged vehicles, and damage to infrastructure.
Security company Reaction Unit South Africa (Rusa) said it had received distress calls from residents in the northern parts of Durban. Reports indicate that stormwater drains failed to handle the heavy downpour, diverting water through yards.
“One family had to be evacuated from their home in Temple Valley, Verulam, after a bank collapsed,” Rusa confirmed.
“In Canelands, emergency responders were dispatched to a temple where rising water levels posed a significant risk.”
In Merebank, SABC News reported that a family had to be rescued from their home after it was flooded. It was reported that security company PT Alarms had to break through a wall to rescue the family.
Reports indicate that Tongaat Secondary School was also affected by flooding, but no structural collapses have been reported.
In a distressing incident, graves at the Wentworth Cemetery have been washed away after a stormwater pipe burst, leading to severe erosion.
Bluff councillor Zoe Solomon urged residents to avoid the beach in the area due to landslides occurring from a private property nearby. “It’s just a steep hill, and at the top, it is extremely high, which is leading to these landslides. We caution residents to avoid the beach at the moment,” said Solomon.
She further explained that because the land is privately owned, the government has no direct authority over it and no infrastructure in place to prevent further landslides. “However, we are working to resolve that,” she said.
The heavy rains have also led to washaways along the M4, particularly near the Ohlanga Bridge (northbound).
Metro Police spokesperson Colonel Boysie Zungu advised, “Motorists should be extremely cautious when driving on the M4 northbound. The road conditions are hazardous.”
According to an update by KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta), Thulasizwe Buthelezi, multiple roads in the eThekwini Metro have been severely affected. Cogta said the provincial disaster management team has been deployed to monitor the situation and provide relief where necessary.
Last week, seven people died in heavy rains while one person is still missing.
“In Lamontville, five people drowned after being swept away in floodwaters. In Chatsworth, a mudslide claimed one life, and another drowning occurred in Malangeni, uMdoni,” Buthelezi said of last week’s incidents.
He said the KZN provincial government is working with social partners, including SASSA and the Department of Home Affairs, to provide relief to affected communities.
Residents in low-lying areas were urged to seek higher ground.
“Disaster management teams are on high alert and actively monitoring high-risk areas. We implore all residents to take necessary precautions and avoid unnecessary travel,” he said.
Authorities said the damage was still being assessed, with emergency teams on standby to assist those in need.
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