Durban - When Butcher Road resident Lana West heard the sound of gushing water on Tuesday night during a storm that battered parts of Durban, she was not expecting to see flood water flowing like a river through the road.
West said at about 7.30pm, she went out on to her balcony after she heard water gushing.
“I saw the water was flooding Butcher Road, it was so scary. Next minute I heard a voice note on the Butcher Road WhatsApp group from a lady crying out for help. Her and her two children were literally drowning in their home.”
She said they called out for help from other residents and they went to try to help her.
West said while the residents were helping the trapped family, one of them was almost washed away in the rapidly flowing water.
She said it was scary watching the scenes unfold and at one point, a manhole lid popped open and flew into the air.
Unfortunately, West said while the family were rescued, their dog drowned.
“From there we found out that there were other houses that were affected further down the road. We had to get the eThekwini Fire Department to rescue an old man with cancer who had just come out of hospital.”
West said there were eight houses in Butcher Road where all belongings had been destroyed or washed away. There was a family in Barnes Road that also lost everything.
She said vehicles were also flooded.
She added that the affected residents were now living in a church in Barnes Road.
