Local knowledge adds value to mapping flood risk in South Africa's informal settlements

A man is seen searching through debris at the Blue Lagoon beach following heavy rains and winds in Durban, on April 12, 2022. Rajesh Jantilal/AFP via Getty Images

The current flooding in South Africa’s coastal city of Durban is dire and reports indicate that hundreds of people have died and thousands directly affected. Several months’ worth of rainfall have fallen in a day or so, and the effects have been catastrophic.

The problem of floods in Durban is not new. Between 1980 and 2010, there were over 77 disastrous flood events in KwaZulu-Natal province and others. The flood events can be categorised as disastrous when lives are lost, people are displaced and property is destroyed.