ETEQUINI, South Africa, April 17 (Reuters) – Rescuers searched for dozens of people still missing in South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) province on Sunday after torrential rains in recent days caused more floods and landslides. of 440 people.
The floods left thousands homeless, cut off electricity and water supplies and cut off operations in one of Africa’s busiest ports, Durban. A provincial economic official estimated the total damage to infrastructure at more than 10 billion rand ($ 684.6 million).
Provincial Prime Minister Sihle Zikalala said the death toll had risen to 443, with another 63 unknown.
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In some of the most affected areas, residents said they were horrified at the thought of more rain, which was expected to fall on Sunday. Some faced the excruciating wait for news of missing loved ones.
“We have not lost hope. Although we are constantly worried as the days go on, “said Sbongil Myoka, a resident of the village of Sunshine in eThekwini municipality, whose 8-year-old nephew has been missing for days.
“We are traumatized by the sight of the rain,” Myoka, 47, told Reuters, adding that her home had been severely damaged.
A member of the search and rescue team uses a dog to search for bodies in Dassenhook near Durban, South Africa, April 17, 2022. REUTERS / Rogan Ward
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In the nearby semi-rural area, three members of the Sibiya family were killed when the walls of the room where they slept collapsed and 4-year-old Bongeka Sibiya is still unknown.
“Everything is a crude reminder of what we have lost, but not being able to find (Bongeka) is devastating because we cannot grieve or be healed. At this stage, we remain empty,” said 33-year-old Letive Sibiya. in front of Reuters.
President Cyril Ramaphosa’s office said late Saturday that he had postponed a working visit to Saudi Arabia to focus on the disaster. Ramaphosa will meet with cabinet ministers to assess the response to the crisis.
KZN Prime Minister Zikalala told a television briefing that the floods were among the worst in his province’s history.
“We need to gather our collective courage and turn this devastation into an opportunity to rebuild our province,” he said. “The people of KwaZulu-Natal will rise from this chaos.
(1 dollar = 14.6076 rand)
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Report by Siabonga Sishi and Rogan Ward in eThekwini Written by Alexander Winning in Johannesburg Edited by Barbara Lewis and Helen Popper
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