Three homes swept away in Tshelimnyama mudslide

Three homes were swept away and two vehicles damaged in a mudslide at Tshelimnyama, west of Durban, after heavy rain in KwaZulu-Natal.

No deaths or injuries were reported. Residents of the affected homes had evacuated before the mudslide struck on Friday.

Residents told Eyewitness News that they were concerned about rebuilding in an area they described as vulnerable to repeated mudslides.

Vigilance urged in flood-prone areas

Nduduzo Mdletshe said he woke during the night and moved his family before their home was swept away. Another resident, Ntando Shoba, said she wanted to rebuild elsewhere because of the area’s history of mudslides.

The Level 6 weather warning that covered Thursday and Friday had expired, but disaster-management teams continued to urge people in flood-prone areas to remain vigilant.

The damage follows severe weather in parts of the province and comes as further rain remains possible in KwaZulu-Natal during the weekend.

Officials had not announced a relocation or rebuilding plan for the affected households by the time of publication. The residents’ statements reflect their concerns and do not constitute a formal geotechnical assessment of the area.

People in low-lying or unstable areas should follow current South African Weather Service alerts and instructions from local disaster-management teams if conditions deteriorate.