Only one person had been rescued from the rising stormwaters while several others from a church in Alexandra were able to make it to safety on their own, according to Spokesperson of the City of Johannesburg Emergency Management Services Robert Mulaudzi.

“Total number of bodies recovered today is 12 including 2 discovered yesterday makes it a total of 14 bodies recovered in this drowning incident,” tweeted Mulaudzi, announcing that the search for the remaining constituents would resume on Monday. “Search has been called off for today.”

The South Africa police has said they issued warning to religious leaders to stay from water during this period but they ignored the warning.