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KZN: Search and rescue teams still busy with body recoveries; National State of Disaster declared
President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday evening, 18 April 2022, declared a National State of Disaster, almost a week to the day after the Durban area was overwhelmed by flooding and mudslides that have killed a confirmed 448 people (to date). About four dozen people remain unaccounted for, President Ramaphosa said in an address to the nation and more than 40 000 have been displaced from their homes. Nearly 4 000 homes have been completely destroyed and more than 8 300 have sustained at least some damage, the president said.
This was the latest disaster in a string of powerful storms across southern and eastern Africa that have claimed hundreds of lives and razed communities already struggling with poverty. For many, it has underscored the increasing toll of climate change, especially for the most socioeconomically vulnerable and amplified the need for a more aggressive government response in South Africa and elsewhere to stem the rising number of weather-related fatalities. Speaking to Colin Deiner, who headed up the Western Cape Government USAR Team, he said, “We deployed on Friday, 15 April 2022, with a team of 63 members and included City of Cape Town Fire, SAZAR and Free State EMS. Limpopo and North West provinces joined us later as part of the Gift of the Givers team. Resources included 16x rescue vehicles, 1x USAR cache and five helicopters provided by the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the South African Defence Force (SANDF). NSRI gave us accommodation at Station 5 Durban.” Deiner continued, “The past week, we have mainly performed search and rescue operations and release of heavily trapezoid victims. The JOC was established at Virginia Airport and was headed up by Colonel Naidoo of the SAPS. There were many rescues in the first few days but when we started, only recoveries. One recovery took three days to get a heavily trapped body released in Reservoir Hills. The main challenges encountered were rain, mud and unstable structures.” Deiner and his team handed over to the UN INSARAG-accredited Gauteng Team on Thursday, 21 April 2022. Quote of the week “If you give, you get.” ~ Dr Imtiaz Sooliman, founder, Gift of the Givers Fire and Rescue International is your magazine. Read it, use it and share it! Download magazine PDFs: https://www.frimedia.org/fri-archives.html Read the magazines online: https://issuu.com/fireandrescueinternational Enjoy the read! Lee Raath-Brownie Managing director Cell: 082 371 0190 Contact us Tel: 011 452 3135 or Email: lee@fireandrescue.co Websites www.fireandrescue.co www.frimedia.org www.facebook.com/FireandRescueInternational www.twitter.com/FRI_magazine |
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