EThekwini Mayor Councillor Mxolisi Kaunda conducted a tour of uMdloti on 22 May to assess the extent of the damage caused by heavy rains. Homes, roads, and other infrastructure across the City were affected by the weekend’s heavy rains, particularly in uMdloti.

“We had to prioritise visiting uMdloti given the severity of damage in this area. The water treatment plant has been damaged which will affect our ability to provide water to residents in this area. I call upon residents to be patient as we work speedily to restore key services,” said Mayor Kaunda.

EVACUATIONS
Teams had to evacuate some residents overnight as the rain continued to batter the City. Rain gauge and river level analysis were undertaken continuously to identify vulnerable and high-risk areas. Most rainfall was experienced over the north and central areas of eThekwini with Bluff and uMdloti receiving high levels of rainfall.

A family in ward 40 was evacuated to Kwa-Nozaza temporary mass care centre after their house collapsed.

About 190 people were relocated from Tehuis to SJ Smith Hall. Mattresses and blankets were provided as a temporary relief.

Elderly residents in two retirement homes in oThongathi and Westbrook were relocated to safety on 22 May after their homes were affected. Many of them have since returned home.

ROADS AND STORMWATER
Various roads were damaged, and some were affected by mudslides. Teams were dispatched to remove rubble and trees, and clear mudslides. The amount of rain was extensive and as such the drainage systems were severely affected. Despite this, some roads have re-opened for traffic.

RELIEF INTERVENTIONS
Currently, there are 82 care centres accommodating displaced people across the City.

Relief interventions are on-going to ensure that community halls with displaced people are receiving adequate relief assistance, social support services, and medical assistance. City health teams continue to provide health services to care centres, including the newly established centre at SJ Smith.

Food, non-perishable items, clothing, blankets, and matresses are available to assist those in need.

ELECTRICITY
There have been several outages throughout the City caused by the heavy rains, however, many of them have since been attended to. Electricity infrastructure is still vulnerable since the April floods and any amount of rain can cause further damage to it. Electricity teams are prioritising fault repairs across the city, especially faults that affect large areas.

WATER
The Water Treatment Works in uMdloti was flooded. Areas such as Mosely Park, Gillits, and KwaNdengezi are also affected by water outages. The City is still assessing whether these heavy rains have had an impact on the work already started in oThongathi.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT
Durban Transport is operating at full capacity even though some areas are affected by road closures. In such cases there will be detours. The People Mover service is operating normally.