Photo: AP/Shutterstock
Three people were reportedly killed and over a dozen injured after a “freak” wave hit a beach in Durban, South Africa on Saturday.
Emergency services (EMS) member Njabulo Dlungele said that beachgoers in the oceanside city werethrown against a pierduring the incident, which happened at around 5:00 p.m. on Durban’s North Beach.
“EMS responded to reports of a freak wave that swept a group of beachgoers against the pier causing multiple injuries,” Dlungele said Saturday. “Unfortunately 3 including a teenager was amongst those who were declared deceased at the scene.
Despite the three confirmations, it is possible that more people may have died in the tragedy.
Responding to PEOPLE, Nomvalo expanded on her statement: “I can’t confirm the number [of deaths], however when we were at the hospital the nurses said that there were many families who had lost their loved ones that day and some have not been found.”
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Local government leader Nomusa Dube-Ncube, offered condolences on behalf of the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government in a Facebook post, Saturday.
“It is believed that a freak wave put many into distress while swimming and they tragically drowned,” he added.
Government officials returned a message to PEOPLE stating that the eThekwini Metro spokesperson Musawakhe Maisela would have “accurate numbers” on fatalities in the incident.
“The Municipality can confirm that there was a drowning incident at North Beach on 17 December where three people died,” reads the eThekwini Metro Facebook page. “The incident was due to a rip current, which is a fairly common phenomenon at sea,” they added.
source: people.com
