NDWEDWE - 39 people have died in KwaZulu-Natal due to natural disasters and related incidents - since October 2023 according to statistics by the Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs department in the province.
The latest disaster to strike KZN on New Year’s Eve led to the death of three people - for now.
A boy drowned in Mandeni on the north coast and two people died when their car was washed away in Msunduzi in Pietermaritzburg in the Midlands.
Authorities are still trying to quantify the extent of damage to homes and infrastructure.
Bridges, houses and roads have been damaged in the latest round of heavy rains in most parts of Kwazulu-Natal.
Disruptive rains and unpredictable weather patterns are becoming common in most parts of the province, including Ndwedwe.
Authorities say the province is under siege from natural disasters, claiming lives and destroying infrastructure.
And the worst is not yet over.
Authorities say a clear picture of the New Year’s Eve disaster will emerge in the coming days as more information and statistics come to light.