The death toll in the southeastern South African province of KwaZulu Natal rose to 306 as a result of persistent windstorms and floods, the government said on Thursday.
According to a government statement, in that territory, declared a disaster area in the last hours, many people were displaced from their homes as a result of bad weather conditions.
In view of this complex situation, the South African Weather Service (Saws) urged residents in KwaZulu Natal and other surrounding territories to avoid leaving their homes as more downpours are expected in the coming hours and over the weekend.
“Because the ground is saturated, any amount of rain could cause localized puddling and flooding. People should be aware that risks remain,” Saws specialist Kgolofelo Mahlangu said.
On the other hand, the declaration of a state of catastrophe was welcomed by one of the government representatives in KwaZulu Natal, Zihle Zikalala, who pointed out that the measure paves the way for an orderly and coordinated response to the current weather crisis.
He noted that this forces the State bodies to reinforce their support for the existing structures to implement the contingency agreements.
The persistent rains and floods in KwaZulu Natal and other nearby districts, which have been occurring since last Monday, have caused, among other consequences, loss of human lives and infrastructural damage such as the destruction of houses, road blocks and interruption of electricity services.
Prensa Latina
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