At least 9 individuals died and eight others had been lacking in South Africa after a flash flood swept away members of a church congregation alongside the Jukskei River in Johannesburg, rescue officers stated Sunday.
The useless and lacking had been all a part of the congregation, which was conducting spiritual rituals alongside the river on Saturday, officers stated. Rescue staff reported discovering the our bodies of two victims that day and one other seven our bodies when the search and restoration mission resumed Sunday morning.
The groups had been interviewing individuals from the congregation to ascertain what number of others had been unaccounted for.
Religious teams often collect alongside the Jukskei River, which runs previous townships equivalent to Alexandra within the east of Johannesburg, for baptisms and ritual cleaning.
Johannesburg Emergency Services spokesman Robert Mulaudzi stated Sunday that officers had warned residents in regards to the risks of conducting the rituals alongside the river.
“We have been receiving a lot of rain on the city of Johannesburg in the last three months, and most of the river streams are now full. Our residents, especially congregants who normally practice these kinds of rituals, will be tempted to go to these river streams,” Mulaudzi stated throughout a news briefing.
“Our message for them is to exercise caution as and when they conduct these rituals,” he added.
