Celani Sikhakhane
As heavy rains continue to fall over eThekwini, fears are growing over the safety of its coastal communities.
Torrential rain already caused the bursting of a large drainage pipe in La Mercy on Monday night, flooding from which caused the collapse of a nearby road and destroyed one family’s home.
EThekwini Metropolitan municipality spokesperson Msawakhe Mayisela said the land in coastal areas is full of water which may cause further destruction of houses.
“So far we are still assessing the situation in La Mercy after the incident which led to the collapse of the road and property. We are also calling for communities to be very careful because anything can happen due to heavy rain,” said Mayisela.
The family whose home was damaged had to be evacuated from the area by local volunteers and taken to a local shelter.
Damage caused by extreme weather conditions is becoming increasingly frequent at this time of year in coastal communities across the country.
Communities in uMlazi were left homeless in 2018 after the collapse of their houses due to heavy rains, while in Amanzimtoti in the same year, properties were swept away by heavy storms.
In December 2019, three people lost their lives after the collapse of their houses in Inanda due to heavy rains.
Image source: @ECR
