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| photo courtesy Associated Press |
https://www.indiatoday.in/author/associated-press-0
Rescue officials said on Sunday that at least nine people had perished and eight others were missing when a flash flood carried away members of a church congregation along the Jukskei River in Johannesburg in South Africa.
According to the authorities, all of those who were killed or went missing were members of the congregation that was out on Saturday doing religious rites beside the river. It was stated that rescue personnel found the corpses of two victims on that day, and another seven dead were found when the search and recovery effort continued the next morning.The teams were talking to members of the church in order to get a better idea of how many additional persons couldn't be found.
Baptisms and other forms of religious purification take place with regularity on the banks of the Jukskei River, which flows through the eastern part of Johannesburg and past townships such as Alexandra.Robert Mulaudzi, a spokesperson for the Johannesburg Emergency Services, stated on Sunday that villagers had been cautioned by officials about the potential hazards of performing the rites near the river.
The majority of the river streams in Johannesburg have reached their maximum capacity as a result of the significant amount of precipitation that has fallen on the city during the past three months. During a news briefing, Mulaudzi made the following statement: "Our inhabitants, particularly worshippers who generally do these sorts of rites, will be enticed to travel to these river streams.""Our advice for them is to take caution as and when they do these rites," he continued. "Our message for them is to conduct these ceremonies."
