Floods across South Africa are continuously leaving most families without shelters and some families losing their loved ones as heavy rains persist.

DROWNINGS

This was evident in Mopani District in Limpopo where six families lost their loved ones through drowning since last Thursday. Three of the drowning cases are reported in the Ba-Phalaborwa municipality where a 59-year-old man drowned in Selati river. In Tshubie village, also in Limpopo, two children aged 3 and four drowned when they accidentally fell into a newly dug pit toilet which was waterlogged after the floods. In another incident that happened in Greater Tzaneen municipality , a 9-year -old boy drowned when he accidentally fell into a pit toilet in Xihoko Village. In the same area a grade 11 learner drowned on Sunday while swimming in the Mmaba River at Mamokgadi village. A lifeless body was also found in a river at Sekhiming village where drowning is also suspected. A man who was trapped for four days in the Letaba River in Tzaneen was rescued by SANDF on Wednesday after the heavy rains.

?LOSS OF LIVES

Mopani District mayor Pule Shayi said he is deeply saddened by the loss of lives in this manner. "On behalf of the council and the people of our district , we send our heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. Our thoughts are with them during this difficult time as they deal with the untimely death of their loved ones. We appeal to all our people to remain vigilant especially those living in low lying areas because our dams are now overflowing and that means that the water are rising rapidly in the streams and rivers. Our parents should therefore keep watch over their children because we know that children with their instincts to get adventurous ca easily get into trouble if left unmonitored, ' said Shayi. In KwaZulu Natal a total of six lives have been lost across Umkhanyakude, King Cesthwayo, Umzinyathi and Amajuba districts as they have the biggest casualties since the floods began.Two people are still missing as reported by ZiMoja on Monday.

DESTROYED AND DAMAGED

According to the KZN MEC for cooperative governance and traditional affairs Bongi Sithole-Moloi, 139 homes have been destroyed and 158 houses have been partially damaged by the storms. "The damage is still being compiled working with various organs of state. The president's proclamation of a state of national disaster will allow immediate issues presented by the devastation caused by heavy rains. The department continues to engage all stakeholders in a bid to look for a long  term solution to spatial  planning related issues that have resulted in recurring incidents in some of the areas,'  said Sithole-Moloi.

HELPING HAND

In Mpumalanga the MEC for Cogta Mandla Msibi expressed profound appreciation of the invaluable contributions and donations from all stakeholders who went out of their way to lend a helping hand. Msibi further called upon more people from private and other humanitarian aid bodies to assist where they can. He strongly warned people against land invasion and poor workmanship from service providers as these are major contributory factors that worsen situations. In the Eastern Cape it is said the damage caused by the floods is estimated to R4,6 billion for now. Six people have been reported killed in the floods.