JOHANNESBURG Emergency Services says the death toll in the Jukskei River drowning could rise as the search and rescue operation continues.
Emergency rescue teams resumed the search for more bodies of worshippers who were swept away by flash floods in the river during a baptism at the weekend.
It’s understood that the congregants were aged from as young as three months to 60-years-old.
By Monday, the death toll rose to 14.
However, there are families reporting that their loved ones are still missing.
Rescue efforts continued for the third day after at least 33 congregants who gathered for a church service by the Jukskei River were caught in a flash flood.
Scouring through the narrow river stream and large rocks, emergency services personnel say at least three more church members are missing.
“The area in which they were conducting the baptism is actually an area where people normally come. It’s an open area where there is actually a flow from the rocks, it’s just that this time around there was a storm and, unfortunately, swept those people conducting the ritual away,” said spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi.
As heavy rains lashed parts of the city, rescue efforts were called off on Monday.
Mulaudzi said that crews would be returning to the area.
“We didn’t manage to cover a lot of ground. Depending on the weather conditions, we will be able to continue with our search because we are told this whole week we might have rainfall.”
Authorities are still unsure of the number of congregant at the river at the time of the tragedy.
Image (Rescue emergency team in water scouring for missing bodies of congregants at Jukskei River, Sandton who were killed by flash floods).
