Search continues for victims washed away in Ladysmith and Mandeni

In Ladysmith, workers have recovered the bodies of six people who were killed  during a flash flood on Christmas Eve.

They are still searching for 10 people, who disappeared during the incident.

It' understood that heavy rains caused the Bellspuit river to burst it's banks.

KZN Disaster Management spokesperson, Siboniso Mngadi says the water rushed onto the N11 in the Ladysmith town, washing away several vehicles and a house.

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"The search in Ladysmith is still underway."

"The MEC for COGTA Bongiwe Sithole Moloi has extended her deepest condolences to all  families that have lost their loved ones due to these adverse weather conditions."

"The MEC Sithole-Moloi  has also convened an urgent  joint  operation and cluster meeting which involve all the municipalities that are part of our  response effort, this team will assess the affected areas and provide assistance to the families in need."    

In Mandeni, the search for a 37-year-old man believed to have drowned while attempting to cross a river  is continuing.

Mngadi says officials recovered the body of a child who was with the man yesterday.

"Our disaster teams received a late call on Christmas to respond on a drowning incident involving two people due to the persistent rain fall in Mandeni area."

"The Search and Rescue team has been temporarily suspended with plans to resume on Wednesday morning."