DURBAN – Clean-up operations have begun at a Hindu temple near the Umhlatuzana river in Chatsworth, which was completely destroyed by floods during the recent storm that hit KwaZulu-Natal.
The 70 year-old structure suffered extensive damages during the flood, while two employees and their dog were trapped on Monday night, April 11, when water levels rose to the ceiling.
Yesterday, teams from civil reinforcement and construction companies were seen conducting clean up and salvage operations.
Ritesh Rosen from RND projects, a local construction company, said he had been visiting the temple since he was a boy and was devastated to see it in such a state.
“I used to play in this river as a child, I even fished here at all the nice spots. This temple has so much history and to see it like this is sad to be honest,” Rosen told IOL.
The employees who were reportedly trapped inside the temple premises the night of the flooding, James Esuf, 27 and Moosa Jaffer, 25, said that they woke up and saw the place completely flooded.
They then contacted the management team to notify them of what was going on.
“After the temple people [management] called us to ask if we were okay, we told them that it was flooded and we had to leave. This was about 12pm. The entire place was flooded.
“We then knew we had to leave. I held the dog on my side and jumped over the neighbours wall but all my things. My bed, my clothes all got washed away. I am only left with what I am wearing,” Esuf said, pointing to a tattered blue overall suit.
Assistant secretary Kureasha Moodley told IOL it was the second time the temple suffered flood damages. The last time was during the heavy rains in 2017.
“The last time, the mother temple and some parts of the yard were still standing. The water came in through doors and windows, but this time the temple yard is non-existent,” she said.
IOL