Two confirmed fatalities in Mpumalanga’s floods

The Mpumalanga department of cooperative governance and traditional affairs on Monday confirmed that two people had died as a result of the torrential rains and flooding in the province. 

The heavy rains have affected several provinces in the country, causing massive damage in some areas.

The department has called for communities to be cautious as the search continues for at least four other people who have been reported missing.

Departmental spokesperson Lindiwe Msibi said the province continues to assess flood damage.

“The province is continually communicating flood awareness messages to the public using different communication channels/methods. Daily meetings are held to keep every stakeholder informed‚” she said.

She said some infrastructure damage has been recorded in Mbombela.

“Our disaster management team are on the ground assessing the damage‚” she said.

The department is also availing structures to be used as temporary shelters‚ while the department of human settlement is assessing the damage so that relevant assistance is provided.

“Social relief materials such as food parcels‚ mattresses‚ blankets‚ gel stoves and tarpaulins were distributed using the chopper‚ since most of the villages are inaccessible‚” she said.

At Mkhuhlu‚ in Bushbuckridge municipality‚ residents rebuilt a damaged bridge on Monday morning to help pupils cross to schools.

One resident‚ Surprise Kubayi‚ said the area had always been a disaster and the floods made things worse.

“We don’t have tarred roads in this municipality‚ most of them are eroded and many parts of the municipality are affected‚” he said.

The Eastern Cape which has been experiencing torrential rains has also recorded two fatalities.

While the weather conditions are gradually improving as rain has subsided in the Chris Hani district municipality in Eastern Cape, authorities expect more housing structures to collapse.

On Sunday evening at Sakhisizwe local municipality, particularly in the Khowa area, heavy rains fell, resulting in the flooding of several households.

Chris Hani district municipal spokesperson Bulelwa Ganyaza said the incident left damage to several structures in four areas.

“We expect more housing structures, especially in rural areas, to collapse as the weather clears,” she said.

She said a full assessment was underway across the district for immediate intervention where necessary. Authorities are also continuing with the search for the family of a woman whose body was extracted from the Komani River.

The disaster management team recovered her body over the weekend.

The national department of cooperative governance said in a statement that the national disaster management centre (NDMC) is in contact with provincial and local disaster management centres on the ground and co-ordinating with all the role players as the heavy downpours continue. – TimesLIVE