The eThekwini Municipality has committed to strengthening its stormwater infrastructure and disaster preparedness.

KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thami Ntuli and eThekwini mayor Cyril Xaba visited families who were affected by the recent floods in Inanda, Nhlungwane and Lamontville on Sunday.

Some of the victims, who were displaced, have been relocated to accommodation in the inner-city.

The City said in severe weather including heavy rains between February 19 and March 15 lives were lost and infrastructure was damaged in eThekwini. In last week's floods, at least two people died. A 54-year-old pharmacist Vanitha Jeawon, died when her vehicle washed away while attempting to cross a bridge in Stapleton Road, Pinetown.

On Saturday, Search and Rescue recovered the body of a 21-year-old woman from a river in Molweni. She is yet to be identified.

The City reported that close to 6,000 people and 1,452 houses were affected by the recent rains.

The City said the mayor conveyed his heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased and committed to work with all stakeholders to ensure that flood victims get settled in permanent homes.

He also urged members of the community to dispose of waste in designated areas as debris gets deposited in storm water drainage systems during heavy rains.

Mayor Xaba said that flooding during storms is primarily influenced by the intensity of rainfall, the capacity of drainage systems, and debris carried by stormwater.

The City explained that in eThekwini, stormwater systems are designed to handle a 1-in-10-year storm event at critical points and a 1-in-3-year storm event in non-critical areas.

"Large canals and river protection works are built to withstand 1-in-50 or 1-in-100-year storm events. Over the past decade, the City has experienced an increasing frequency of severe floods. To mitigate risks and protect lives and infrastructure, the municipality has implemented strategic interventions, including the Forecast Early Warning System (FEWS).

"The City remains committed to strengthening its stormwater infrastructure and disaster preparedness to better protect residents and businesses from future extreme weather events," the municipality said.

The mayor thanked emergency teams for swiftly responding to incidents reported by residents.

“Through their swift response, we were able to rescue 10 people along M19. Our technical officials are currently restoring basic services such as water and electricity in all affected areas," said Xaba.

The municipality said all roads that have been flooded such as M4, M19 and N2 are being cleared. Stapleton Road and Heaton Nicholson Dive roads remain closed until further notice.

THE MERCURY