The South African government has declared a state of calamity in the province of Kwazulu-Natal following the severe storm that killed at least 22 people in the last two weeks of February and displaced hundreds more.

On the other hand, according to figures from the Kwazulu-Natal provincial government, the severe storm caused damage estimated at more than three billion rands, equivalent to 10.3 billion meticais.

Quoted by Rádio Moçambique, the South African Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Velenkosini Hlabisa, said that there was no alternative but to declare Kwazulu-Natal a disaster area, based on the trail of destruction left in its wake.

"The declaration of a state of calamity in the province aims to facilitate the mobilization of all efforts to secure support and implement contingency protocols to deal with the impact of the floods on the affected communities," explained Hlabisa, noting that the declaration will allow for the implementation of a multi-sectoral relief and rehabilitation plan, thus ensuring that the affected communities in Kwazulu-Natal receive the necessary assistance.

Kwazulu-Natal has been cyclically affected by extreme weather events, which is why the Zulu king, Misuzulu Zwelithini, has requested that the provincial government organize discussions on climate change to mitigate the impact of natural disasters.

Yesterday, Monday (10), the South African meteorological services issued an alert for severe storms in the provinces of Kwazulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and Limpopo. Torrential rain is expected, accompanied by strong winds and hail.

(Photo DR)