Floods

NSRI crew member Julian Singh carrying a child to safety at Montclair. (NSRI Durban)NSRI Durban, NSRI Shelly Beach and NSRI Port Edward and emergency services are fully deployed assisting at floods in and around the Kwa-Zulu Natal North and South coasts.NSRI Durban dispatched their sea rescue vehicle and rescue swimmers fully kitted in wet suits.NSRI Port Edward dispatched their sea rescue vehicle and Discovery Rescue Runner to the Umtamvuna River.NSRI Shelly Beach are on high alert to assist Police Search and Rescue.Strong winds, gusting up to 50 knots South Westerly at peak in places, and heavy rain causing flash floods have been experienced.NSRI, assisting emergency services to evacuate persons trapped in vehicles, homes and businesses. Some of the incidents dealt with today are craft broken from moorings on the Umtamvuna River and assisted to be recovered by NSRI Port Edward and NSRI Durban fully engaged assisting emergency services in and around Durban where babies, children and adults are being assisted to higher ground and freed from entrapments in homes, in motor vehicles and flash flooded areas.At Montclair and at Isipingo, initially the main concentration of NSRI's assistance, has seen a baby rescued from an entrapment in a home and many incidents of residents and motorists being assisted to higher ground and away from flooded areas and entrapments.The Transnet National Ports Authority are dealing with the container ship MSC Ines that has drifted into the mouth of the Port of Durban abeam and other vessels and boats beached on sand banks.Yachts and boats in the small craft harbour and at the Point Yacht Club (PYC) have broken moorings. NSRI Durban rescue crews are at PYC assisting to corral boats and yachts broken free of moorings.Emergency Services continue to urge residents to stay indoors and to stay safe and to monitor the weather office for weather safety updates.In particular the eThekwini area is mostly affected. eThekwini Disaster Risk Management are urging emergency calls to be made directly to their emergency call centre at 031 3610000.