Level 6 Warning Triggers Flooding and Fatality in KZN's eThekwini, Woman in Her 50s Swept Away in Pinetown

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Updated Mar 14, 2025, 10:47 AM

The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has issued a Level 6 warning for disruptive rain across KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), with heavy downpours expected to lead to flooding and potential damage to infrastructure. The warning, which escalated from Level 2, prompted disaster management teams and emergency services to be placed on high alert, particularly in the eThekwini Municipality. Heavy rainfall has already caused significant disruptions, including flooding in roads and malls, power outages, and numerous vehicle collisions in Durban. The eThekwini Municipality has activated its Joint Disaster Management Centre in response to the severe weather conditions, which are expected to continue into Friday. The SAWS has also issued warnings for other regions, including Gauteng, the Eastern Cape, and parts of the Northern Cape and Limpopo, indicating a widespread impact of the current weather system. Tragically, the heavy rains have claimed at least one life. A woman in her 50s, a pharmacist from Hillcrest, was swept away in her car while crossing Sarnia Road in Pinetown, west of Durban. Her body was later recovered from the Umbilo River near Gordon Road by ALS Paramedics and Mobi-Claw 911, with volunteer paramedic Bianca White involved in the recovery. This incident marks a somber reminder of the dangers posed by the ongoing severe weather. Mop-up operations are currently underway across KZN, with the provincial authorities and the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) urging residents to remain vigilant as the severe weather conditions persist. KZN CoGTA spokesperson Senzelwe Mzila confirmed the province's readiness for any eventuality. SABC News Reporter Nonjabulo Mntungwa-Makamu has been covering the developments, while SAWS forecaster Nhlanhla Sithole noted the difficulty in pinpointing the cause of recurring flooding in KZN, suggesting it could be due to both climate change and climate variability.

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Sources

sabcnews.com(8)citizen.co.za(5)news24.com(4)witness.co.za(3)

SABC News

@SABCNews

[WATCH] Mop-up operations across KwaZulu-Natal are currently underway, with eThekwini Metro severely affected by the inclement weather conditions. SABC News Reporter, Nonjabulo Mntungwa-Makamu, is watching developments and has more details. https://t.co/sfx1RlnXUI

The Witness

@WitnessKZN

The river in Pinetown where KZN paramedics recovered a woman's body from amid heavy rains and heavy flooding in the province. #KZN #Flooding Video: ALS Paramedics https://t.co/QOf5lgaF5U

SABC News Radio

@SABCNews_Radio

[COMING UP] One person has died in overnight rains across the eThekwini Municipality and surrounding areas. #UpdateAtNoon #SABCNews https://t.co/JPRySl7UuB