KZN floods | Parents and pupils fear for their safety

DURBAN - The death toll from the KwaZulu-Natal floods has risen to 13.

Another body was retrieved in oThongathi on Tuesday afternoon.

READ: KZN flood death toll rises to 13

More search and rescue operations are still underway in some parts of the province.

The heavy downpours have caused flooding in parts of KZN, leading to infrastructure damage.

With schools re-opening on Wednesday - some pupils will be stranded as roads and bridges have collapsed in some parts of the province.

Wandile Maphumulo said, "the main challenge is that we have to cross through this damaged bridge. It is pointless to take a bath in the morning because we will still need to come and cross through the river."

"We don't have water to bath as we have to fetch water from this river because water tankers only arrive after two weeks."

"We get a few buckets of water and that’s it.”

Parents are equally frustrated.

Nikiwe Maphumulo said, "we are worried about this damaged bridge. With the reopening of schools, we have to carry our children on our backs to help them across the river so that they can access school transport."

"The collapse of the bridge has also damaged water pipes, we don’t have access to water.”

With no immediate solution to the damaged roads and infrastructure crisis - some say communities and parents are left to fend for themselves.

Provincial authorities are yet to make a final determination of the impact of the damage.