Durban keeps beaches closed
2007-03-21 08:05
Durban - The beaches here will remain closed for at least five more days as the city's authorities clean up in the wake of the heavy surf that battered the KwaZulu-Natal coastline.
eThekwini deputy head fire and disaster management Mark te Water said on Tuesday evening that he expected the city's beaches to remain closed for at least five days.
"We are trying everything to get the beaches sorted out before the Easter holidays," he said.
Te Water said that it was still too early to place a price on the damage to the city's infrastructure.
"It is a high figure. That's all I can tell you."
He said that apart from beaches needing rehabilitation, roads needed to be examined as did electrical cables and water pipes.
Andy Spies, the acting deputy director for the Umhlatuze fire and rescue services said on Tuesday afternoon that Richards Bay's main beach, Alkandstrand, had remained closed to the public.
It was expected to be opened on Wednesday once all the debris had been cleared from the beach and from the parking lot.
One person found dead
KwaZulu-Natal's coastline was battered by the heavy surf with swells recorded at between six and eight metres in the early hours of Monday morning.
Massive waves continued to pound the coast during the day, but by Monday night the swell had dissipated as the gale-force winds dropped.
National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) spokesperson Craig Lambinon said that by Tuesday the swells had dropped to between two and three metres.
On Monday evening, police reported that the heavy surf had claimed one life at Shelley Beach on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast.
Police spokesperson Zandra Hechter said the man, believed to be about 30, was one of those who helped to launch ski boats at the Shelly Beach Ski Boat Club.
"It is believed that he is one of the many homeless who live in the bushes along the beach and was caught by the unusual high tide."
She said the evidence indicated that the man had drowned. A woman, taking a walk on the beach, found his body.
An inquest docket has been opened.
31 ships waiting to enter port
On Tuesday morning, numerous vessels were seen leaving port in calm, sunny weather.
Durban port authorities told SABC radio news that the harbour was open to small vessels, but still closed to larger incoming traffic and that 31 vessels were waiting to come into port.
KwaZulu-Natal Premier S'bu Ndebele praised the province's rescue services.
"Emergency services personnel including officials from the police, ambulance services, provincial government, local government, the NSRI as well as ordinary members of the public all rallied together to ensure the loss of life was minimised.
"For this, we are extremely grateful to the people of KwaZulu-Natal," he said on Tuesday morning.
Damage on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast was estimated to be about half a billion rand, he said.
"As from the early hours of this morning most of the affected areas in the province were reported to be back to normal.
Insurance claims pouring in
However, emergency services will remain on standby to monitor the situation.
We also want to assure visitors to our province that we are working hard to ensure that the situation returns to normal", said Ndebele.
By late afternoon on Tuesday, insurance giant Santam reported it already had received claims totalling R2.5m and was expecting the figure to grow as clean-up operations continued.
"We have brought in assessors from around the country to deal with the ongoing claims as smoothly and efficiently as possible.
Regional manager Daniel Stevens said: "So far, we have processed about 66 claims relating to sand and water damage.
Thousands of sightseers
Assessors are based in a Santam 'catastrophe' van on the beachfront from where they are visiting different sites to measure and quantify damage.
"Apart from the water damage on the coast, further inland, we have received 48 additional claims to date resulting from severe storms last Thursday night (March 15)."
During Monday's storm, thousands of people flocked to various points along Durban's coastline to see the huge swells and several areas were cordoned off by authorities to prevent any accidents.
- SAPA