LINDELANI, South Africa (Reuters – Bonakele Mtshali, who was attending a funeral, lost two girls to flash floods in South Africa’s east coast.

After Monday’s catastrophe, her search for answers had intensified with an increasing sense of fear. Her elder son Zamani (23 years old) received a phone call from another townperson on Thursday, reporting that they had found a body near the river. Baphiwe (17 years old) was the one who called.

Mtshali’s daughter was among the 400 or more people who were killed by extremely strong rains. The storms left about 13600 homeless, and many families mourning their loved ones.

Mtshali is missing her 11 year-old daughter Ntwenhle. It is now impossible for her to find her in her hometown by the river, on the outskirts Durban. She was the one who has been swept away by the flooding that claimed the lives of over 40,000.

She said that she felt numb and blank after seeing the debris of her house, which was now a pile made of rubble.

“There’s nothing I can do but to continue looking for my children so they can be buried together. “I don’t believe I can recover,” she stated, looking wistfully in the distance. The loss is too great.

SHATTERED LIFES

South Africans are still looking for survivors as of Friday. The government mobilised emergency funds in order to provide relief to thousands who were without power, shelter or water. Experts predict that this tragedy will only get worse with the warmer climate.

Others sought to be able to see the bodies of their loved ones.

“The body had been covered with sand, and was unclothed. “But I could see that was it my sister,” Zamani the security guard said about his younger sibling. Zamani is a promising student and had always hoped to become a scientist.

“I wrapped her in a blanket and carried her off.”

Nokwakha Nketha (48), was searching for Sivela (32) at Gandhi Settlement, which is also close to Durban. They had to go on their own, because no one was available to assist them.

We have not stopped digging. We will dig until we find him,” she said “We can’t officially grieve until we find his body.”