A woman died when a taxi she was travelling in was swept away in floodwaters in Utrecht, in the north west of KwaZulu-Natal. Picture: Supplied
Image: Supplied
A 33-year-old woman has died after a taxi she was travelling in was swept away in the Ncamndane River in Utrecht, KwaZulu-Natal, during heavy rainfall on Tuesday.
According to the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta), the incident occurred in ward 1 of the eMadlangeni Municipality, under the Amajuba District Municipality in the north west of the province.
The vehicle, which was carrying four occupants, attempted to cross the swollen river when it was caught by the strong current.
“Three people managed to escape to safety, but tragically, one female passenger drowned,” said Cogta spokesperson Senzelwe Mzila.
“Despite prompt response from rescue teams, recovery efforts were unsuccessful, and the search is still ongoing.”
Reverend Thulasizwe Buthelezi, the KwaZulu-Natal Cogta MEC, expressed his condolences to the grieving family.
“We are deeply saddened by this loss of life. I extend my heartfelt sympathies to the family of the deceased and have instructed our disaster management teams to continue supporting them during this difficult time,” Buthelezi said.
Buthelezi also issued a warning to residents to exercise extreme caution as the province continues to experience adverse weather.
“We urge communities, especially those in low-lying areas, to take warnings seriously. The heavy rains present a real danger to life,” he said.
The province experienced Level 4 and Level 5 rainfall alerts on Tuesday and Wednesday, with flooding reported in several regions. The Provincial Disaster Management Centre is currently compiling reports from districts across KwaZulu-Natal and is expected to provide an update soon.
Buthelezi also appealed to holiday travellers to take heed of weather forecasts and plan accordingly ahead of the Easter weekend. The province launched its Easter road safety campaign last week.
“We are urging road users and all community members to be cautious, adhere to safety measures, and remain informed about the weather. Even though the weather service has not predicted any severe conditions over the weekend, our disaster teams will remain on high alert,” he added.
