JOHANNESBURG – Hundreds were evacuated after heavy rainfalls again hit South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal coastal province. The rains caused flooding and damaged property and roads, a government official announced on Sunday.

It is currently repairing damaged infrastructure, and plans to relocate people who were displaced by the flooding of April. This was one of the most severe floods to hit KwaZulu Natal province’s history. The floods of April left 448 people dead, 88 missing and more than 6800 homeless. They also damaged over 25 billion rands ($1.58 trillion) worth infrastructure.

South Africa Weather Service had given the province early warnings, warning it of further severe rainfall Saturday in several towns including Durban. Durban was the most severely affected by the floods.

Sipho Hlomuka (member of the executive council of Cooperative Government and Traditional Affairs) told journalists that the most significant impact was expected to be along KwaZulu-Natal’s coast and northern-eastern regions.

According to him, approximately 250 individuals were evacuated from Tongaat in Durban and Tehuise, both in Durban. This includes retirement villages. One family was not evacuated after an informal dwelling collapsed.

The heavy rains have caused flooding on roads and human settlements, as well as property damage. He said that while we understand the importance of some areas being inaccessible, they have also made them into islands.

The South Africa Weather Service reported that rain fell in certain parts of KwaZulu-Natal on Sunday, while the alert level remained at 10

Scientists suspect that the Indian Ocean is warming and making the southeast coast more vulnerable to severe storms, floods, and other hazards. In the next few decades, they expect this trend to escalate dramatically.

($1 = 15.8332 rand)