445 die as floods ravage South African province

At least 445 have been confirmed dead, while 48 people are still missing, as deadly floods hit KwaZulu-Natal Province in South Africa.

The floods which hit the town last month destroyed property worth millions of naira.

Authorities in South Africa have confirmed that 48 people are still missing following last month’s deadly floods in KwaZulu-Natal. The official death toll now stands at 445.

According to BBC, disaster management teams, which including police and army, are still on the ground searching, but for many families the hopes of finding loved ones alive are dwindling.

The floods have been described as the worst natural disaster to hit South Africa in decades.

The cost of the damage is still being assessed, but initial estimates place the cost at more than $1.5bn (£1.2bn) and counting.

The reports added that major infrastructure was damaged by the rainfall, leaving many residents without running water and electricity for weeks

President Cyril Ramaphosa has declared a national state of disaster, allowing the national government to put increased resources into the relief and recovery effort.

Nine children aged between two and 10 years from the same family, including Slindile Mdalose, 43 were killed in the floods that devastated KwaZulu-Natal in the most deadly natural disaster in the country’s history.

The victims were sleeping when the violent water washed through, flattening their home. It has been three weeks and some of the bodies are yet to be recovered

“To tell you the truth we are mad, we are numb. We can’t use our heads. This is too much to even comprehend.

“When you have to split your grief, you think of this one, you think of that [one]. It’s too much. It’s hard losing one person. It’s worse losing two. Ten is something else,” the children’s uncle, Thokozani Mdlalose, said.

However, their aunt, Nonkululeko Mdlalose, said she spoke to her sister on the phone hours before they died.

“It was raining heavily, unlike anything either of them had ever seen before. Still, they did not expect that it would lead to disaster.

“I’ve never felt this kind of pain. I thought I was a strong person but I realise that I’m not, that we will need help, I realise we will need counselling. This is too much for anyone to bear,” Nonkululeko Mdlalose said.