The KwaZulu Natal disaster management teams remain on high alert following flooding in the province since Sunday. The Department of Corporative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) says there were no injuries or casualties reported. The province is still recovering from the devastating floods last April, which claimed more than 450 lives.

Cogta spokesperson Nonala Ndlovu confirmed that families whose homes were damaged and submerged in water have been successfully evacuated. "As our teams continue to assess the extent of the damage, preliminary reports indicate that at Ubuhlebezwe Local Municipality, located in the Harry Gwala District, two houses were completely destroyed due to heavy rains, while another two sustained partial damages. Fortunately, no injuries or fatalities were reported during this period," she said. Ndlovu further said that the disaster management teams acted promptly to provide immediate relief and the affected families have chosen alternative accommodation with relatives. Ndlovu said that in the eThekwini Metro, two houses in KwaMashu were submerged in water and another in Molweni, in the western parts of the city, was damaged by a fallen tree. 

Several roads have also been damaged by the rains and have been closed to ensure safety. "Part of the Hullets Bridge collapsed on Old South Coast Road. A boundary wall of the botanical gardens on John Zikhali Road in Morningside collapsed resulting in parts of the road becoming unstable. The road is deemed unsafe to be used by the traffic enforcement officers. Several roads in eThekwini experienced water logging, but they remain passable," she said. KZN MEC for Cogta Bongiwe Sithole-Moloi has lauded the disaster teams who have been on high alert since Monday, monitoring the persistent rains. Sithole-Moloi emphasised that disaster teams are maintaining a heightened state of readiness as they continue to assess and monitor the rains in the northern parts of the province. "The rains are still ongoing in the northern part of the province, where a level 6 alert has been issued by the South African Weather Services. Our disaster teams have been activated and will respond promptly to any eventualities. We also want to commend residents for heeding the warnings that have been issued. The risk has not subsided; we urge them to exercise caution continuously. We appeal to motorists to follow instructions from traffic officers, as some roads have had to be temporarily closed due to flooding," she said.

Moloi-Sithole said that, if possible, people must postpone all non-essential travel until the weather clears. She advised residents in low-lying areas to relocate to safer places if necessary. "Public facilities such as halls, churches and schools will serve as safe havens should the situation deteriorate. As rainfall persists in various parts of the province, our teams remain active on the ground and will provide timely updates on the recorded impacts of the rains," she said. All municipalities in the province have also activated their disaster operations centre and convened their daily Joint Operations Centres to closely monitor the situation.