South Africa: National Disaster for 3 Provinces After Severe Weather

The Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) department declared a national disaster for areas affected by severe weather in KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, and the Free State, reports News24.

Bongani Elias Sithole, head of the national disaster management centre, said that disruptive rain, floods, strong winds, and snow had a significant impact that resulted in “the loss of life, damage to property, infrastructure and the environment, as well as the disruption of basic services”.

The provincial government said that the damage is estimated at R1.3 billion, with the eThekwini metro accounting for more than R490 million.

The government said that more than 7,000 households had been affected, adding that around 20 schools had been severely damaged, while roads, bridges, community halls, and electricity infrastructure had also been affected.

By Newsagency