THE DESTRUCTION LEFT BY THE STORM
Zamokwakhe Shabalala
13 June 2024
Name: Zamokwakhe Shabalala
Village: Normandien
Municipality: Dannhouser municipality
Province: KwaZulu Natal
THE DESTRUCTION LEFT BY THE STORM
In the first week of June 2024, KwaZulu Natal (Newcastle) was hit by the floods. Natural disasters such as torrential rains and strong winds, left many families homeless. The local government of Amajuba district and Newcastle municipality relocated the families affected by floods to the community halls. The number we estimated is 200 people who were affected in the Newcastle region and several others in the outlying areas. Disaster management is still doing assessments
The tornado affected many areas around KwaZulu Natal, notably the area around Durban, Umzinyathi and Amajuba (Newcastle wards 6,11,10,12,13,17,18 and 30, Emadlangeni wards 3,4 and Dannhouser ward 1. On the day of the storm, the Amajuba District Municipality Disaster Management team was joined by the AL Imdaad Foundation, who donated blankets and food. The floods began in 2012 when the city was flooded, many bridges were flooded and lives were lost. Last year there was significant damage in KZN, Johannesburg, Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga, and many areas around the country
2023 was the hottest year ever recorded. The concentration of carbon emissions in the atmosphere has resulted in drastic shifts in weather patterns, leading to increased rainfall in many places and subsequent floods. Climate change is growing daily as these days we know it’s winter but heavy rains have continued in parts along the coast, and where we’re seeing the erosion of poor families these as a result of these floods. The Presidency announced late on Monday night that the government had, in terms of the Disaster Management Act, declared a national state of disaster. This is to enable an intensive, co-ordinated response to the floods affecting KZN, Mpumalanga, the Eastern Cape, Gauteng, Limpopo, the Northern Cape, and the North West. The Disaster Management team said they are committed to ensuring that residents are safe.
The government should prioritize providing housing (RDP) for people in rural areas and those affected by floods, especially those living in small villages in deep rural areas.
