By: Natasha Archary
As the death toll from the KwaZulu-Natal floods continue to rise, Durban Tourism say the city’s beaches will remain closed over the Easter weekend.
More than 395 people have reportedly died from the floods that ripped through KZN since last weekend, with hundreds more still missing.
Almost 86 000 holidaymakers were expected to visit KZN over the Easter weekend but 16% of bookings were cancelled. This equates to a loss of almost 30 000 tourists which is going to effect the Durban tourism sector.
A projected loss of R30 million has been estimated as a result of the holiday cancellations.
The loss is huge for small business owners, vendors and traders on the province’s beachfront, who rely on visitors during peak periods.
However, all Durban beaches will remain closed as tides remain high and the coastline is litter-lined after the floods.
Residents have begun clean-up operations to remove all debris that washed onto the shores but it could take weeks.
The eThekwini Metro was the hardest hit area, with 355 deaths reported. More inclement weather is predicted for KZN over the Easter weekend and more flooding and landslides are expected.
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