Video shot on the southern coast of South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal province shows a car floating in floodwater after torrential rains hit the area.
LAMONTVILLE, South Africa – Five bodies have been recovered in Lamontville, South Africa, after flash flooding swept the victims into a canal early Wednesday morning, according to the Kwazulu-Natal Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (KZN COGTA).
Located along the southeastern coast of Kwazulu-Natal province, the area was hit with severe weather that dropped more than 4.5 inches of rainfall in less than 24 hours, according to the South African Weather Service.
The heavy rainfall produced widespread floods throughout Kwazulu-Natal, causing significant damage, road closures and loss of life, including those of two men and three children in Lamontville.
Car floating in floodwater in the province of Kwazulu-Natal in South Africa.
(Kwazulu-Natal Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs / FOX Weather)
“We are deeply saddened by this incident and offer our sincere sympathies to the bereaved families during this incredibly difficult time,” said Reverend Thulasizwe Buthelezi, the Member of the Executive Council for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs in Kwazulu-Natal province.
In addition to the five lives lost in Lamontville, KZN COGTA said two other fatalities are also being investigated, as the bodies of two women were reportedly washed ashore in nearby Durban’s Brighton Beach and Anstey Beach.
KZN COGTA noted that the risk of flooding remains high. Because of this, Buthelezi strongly advised residents who live in low-lying areas to seek shelter on higher ground.
Drivers were also advised to be careful on the roads as the persistent rainfall is creating exceptionally slippery conditions.