By Motshwari Mo Mofokeng
The number of fatalities from the tragic flood event in Msinga, located in northern KwaZulu-Natal, has increased to five after rescuers found another body on Sunday, as confirmed by authorities.
The most recent victim, a man, was discovered in the eNhlonga area within Ward 13 of the Msinga Local Municipality. One individual from the group remains unaccounted for as search teams persist in scouring nearby rivers and surrounding regions.
This disaster took place on Thursday evening when a bakkie with eight people was swept away from the low-lying Mfenebude Bridge on the P17 road in eNadi, eMabovini during heavy rains. Two passengers managed to escape the vehicle and reached safety, while the other six were taken by the fierce floodwaters.
Search and rescue teams retrieved the bodies of two women on Friday, one from the iNadi River in Msinga and the other from the uThukela River close to Nkandla. One of the deceased was pregnant.
On Saturday, rescuers found two additional victims – a woman and a man – in the uThukela River within the Msinga and uMvoti municipal areas. The ages of the victims ranged from 25 to 40.
Senzelwe Mzila, spokesperson for KwaZulu-Natal Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, stated that drones have been deployed to assist in searching hard-to-reach locations.
KZN Cogta MEC Reverend Thulasizwe Buthelezi expressed condolences to the families and commended the rescue teams for their commitment as the search for the last missing individual continues.
