No fewer than 13 people died and 16 were wounded after a brick wall of the Pentecostal church in the city of Empangeni collapsed at the start of Easter services, SABC reported.

“The roof of the building collapsed because of heavy rains last night… at this point, we have a total of 13 fatalities", explained Lennox Mabaso, spokesperson for the KwaZulu Natal’s (KZN) Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) Department.

KZN provincial government has sent condolences to the victims and their families, also vowed to conduct an investigation into the tragedy.