Johannesburg, May 24 (BNA) More than 300 people have been evacuated from their homes as a result of renewed heavy rains, floods and mudslides in South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal province, after weeks of severe flooding that killed more than 400 people and displaced more than 40,000 others.
The Associated Press reports that new rains have largely destroyed roads, homes and electrical infrastructure in northern parts of the county since last Friday, according to county authorities and emergency personnel.
The province of KwaZulu-Natal, which includes the coastal city of Durban, remains on high alert with warnings of more rain in some areas.
Sifu Hlumuka, KwaZulu-Natal’s Regional Minister for Local Government, said at a press briefing that the new emergency has exhausted local officials who have sought help from the South African national government.
“We have not yet received a full comprehensive report on the impact of this recent torrential rain, but as the reports have taken a worrying picture, it is starting to emerge,” Hlomoka said.
He said they also called for the South African National Defense Forces to be deployed in the province to help with disaster management.
The floods that swept KwaZulu-Natal last month caused an estimated $1.5 billion in property damage, officials said.
The communities hardest hit by the new floods include Umlazi, Amanzimtoti, Amdloti, Isipingo, Tongat and Wentworth, which were hard hit by previous floods.
MI