Rescue teams deployed in Eastern Cape, flood death toll rises to 57
Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane assessing the damage to homes and infrastructure this week after floods lashed the province.
Image: Premier Lubabalo Oscar Mabuyane / Facebook
Rescue teams raced on Thursday to find possible survivors after heavy rain flooded parts of the Eastern Cape earlier in the week as the death toll rose to 57.
Torrential rains and freezing temperatures struck on Monday, causing major flooding and landslides that submerged houses. The severe weather also lashed parts of KwaZulu-Natal.
Images on local media showed homes completely under water and rescuers wading through the mud. Power and water supplies have been affected and hundreds have been forced to relocate.
"As the water subsides, more bodies are being discovered," said Caroline Gallant, Eastern Cape manager at the South African Red Cross Society, which has sent assistance to the disaster zone.
More than 3,000 houses have been affected, she told AFP, adding it was "the worst ever disaster" recorded in the area.
President Cyril Ramaphosa called the floods "unprecedented" and said he would visit the disaster-hit region on Friday.
A previous death toll of 49 has now risen to 57, Velenkosini Hlabisa, Minister of cooperative governance and traditional affairs, said.
"The figures are growing. This (57) is the figure... for the entire Eastern Cape province in three different areas," he told reporters, while visiting the worst hit city, Mthatha.
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Among the dead are at least four children who were in a school van that was swept away by the rising water, Premier Oscar Mabuyane said in a briefing on Wednesday.
Four other children are missing, while three were found alive. Two adults with them on the bus also died.
Another child died separately when he was swept away by water while walking to school, Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube said early Thursday.
"We are reeling," she told SABC News.
One rescuer, who spoke to AFP on Thursday on the condition of anonymity as he was not allowed to speak to the media, said his team was expecting to find more bodies and possibly survivors.
"We are going door to door to see, because yesterday we did find people locked inside houses who couldn't get out and were deceased," he said.
At least 600 people have been displaced, the provincial government said, with many sheltering in community halls.
Infrastructure has also been damaged and at least 20 health facilities affected, the local authority said.
"The numbers will increase dramatically," said Ali Sablay, a spokesperson for the Gift of the Givers Foundation, a disaster response charity that deployed teams to the area.
"In the last 24 hours the number of people requiring assistance has jumped from 5,000 to 10,000," he told AFP.
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The South African
4 hours ago
- The South African
Eastern Cape flood deaths climb to 78 [video]
South Africa rescue teams recovered more bodies on Thursday, days after heavy rains and strong winds battered the Eastern Cape province, as the death toll rose to at least 78 due to floods. The bitterly cold winter storm struck the largely rural and underdeveloped province on Monday, causing a river to burst its banks and submerge homes, with several make-shift dwellings toppled. The worst-hit area was around the city of Mthatha, about 800km south of Johannesburg, where residents picked through the mud three days later to salvage what they could from their destroyed homes. Read the full version of the ' Death toll rises to 78 as more bodies found after Eastern Cape floods' article. AFP journalists saw a rescue team pull four bodies, some of them children, from a one-roomed house in the late afternoon as locals watched. Houses, trees and cars were covered in mud and fields were strewn with debris. 'As the water subsides, more bodies are being discovered,' said Caroline Gallant, Eastern Cape manager at the South African Red Cross Society, which has sent assistance to the disaster zone. Looking for quick updates? Watch News in a Minute videos on The South African's YouTube page for all the key stories you need to know! Catch all the latest videos on news, lifestyle, travel, sports and more – there's always something to watch! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and BlueSky to stay connected and get your news on the go!
IOL News
6 hours ago
- IOL News
Flood death toll rises as rescue efforts continue
Gift of the Givers diving and humanitarian teams are on the ground in the Eastern Cape, assisting local authorities with rescue operations. Image: Supplied WITH rescue and recovery efforts still underway, the death toll is expected to rise following the devastating floods that swept through large parts of Mthatha in the Eastern Cape. By late Thursday, the death toll stood at 57. Torrential rains and freezing temperatures hit the region on Monday, triggering widespread flooding and landslides that submerged homes, damaged infrastructure and claimed multiple lives. Gift of the Givers teams, in collaboration with the SAPS Search and Rescue Unit and the Eastern Cape Provincial Disaster Management teams, had by Thursday evening recovered eight bodies. Ali Sablay, a spokesperson for the Gift of the Givers Foundation, said the deceased included five adults and three children. 'In response to the ongoing crisis, Gift of the Givers is intensifying and expanding its operations throughout the district to support affected communities and assist in further recovery efforts." "As the water subsides, more bodies are being discovered," said Caroline Gallant, Eastern Cape manager at the South African Red Cross Society, which has sent assistance to the disaster zone. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. 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Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ More than 3000 houses had been affected, she said, adding it was "the worst ever disaster" recorded in the area. The Eastern Cape provincial government confirmed at least 127 schools across 10 districts and about 20 health facilities had suffered damage, with assessment and mapping of affected schools still ongoing. They said restoration efforts for power, water supply, and road infrastructure were also currently underway with the support of engineering teams. Response and recovery operations were still underway across multiple affected districts across the province. 'As of June 12, 57 fatalities have been reported across the province with the O.R. Tambo District Municipality accounts for 51 while six of the fatalities are in the Amathole District Municipality. Bodies are being held at the Mthatha Forensic Mortuary, with identification efforts currently underway. 'Areas in the OR Tambo District Municipality such as Slovo Park and Decoligny Village in Mthatha have been hard hit by these severe weather conditions. In Mthatha, 38 people were successfully rescued through the combined efforts of EMS, SAPS, and volunteer organisations. Two helicopters, search and rescue vehicles, K9 units, and technical rescue teams have been deployed. In Joe Gqabi District, heavy snow has led to road closures. In Alfred Nzo District and surrounding areas, critical infrastructure such as roads, clinics, schools, and hospitals have been severely impacted,' the provincial government said. At least 1000 people had been displaced in the Amathole District alone and were being sheltered in community facilities. 'Relief measures including food, blankets, and water have been distributed. The Provincial Government, working with municipalities and social partners, continues to provide essential services to affected residents. Primary Health Care (PHC) services are being provided to displaced people, and emergency medical referrals are being coordinated where necessary,' the province said. A reception area was also set up at Sir Henry Elliot Hall, Mthatha to offer counselling to affected families. Cookie Ventkesamy from the Women with Vision organisation, which has been working on the ground to provide humanitarian aid, said that while conditions were starting to improve in some areas, others remained in a state of severe distress. 'Gift of the Givers rescuers are at the dam, they are still searching for many bodies. People are still standing, saying their family members are missing. We've been to some areas where many people are still homeless, there are a lot of people that still need to be placed in Ngqeleni. In Northcrest, it seems to be under control. There are mattresses, heating, and blankets etc.' She said they would be going to some areas to distribute clothes and soup. Additional reporting by AFP. Cape Times
IOL News
7 hours ago
- IOL News
Death toll in South Africa floods rise to 78
The death toll has risen to 78 following inclement weather and flooding in the Eastern Cape this week. Image: OR Tambo District Municipality South African rescue teams recovered more bodies Thursday, days after heavy rains and strong winds battered the Eastern Cape province, as the death toll rose to at least 78. The bitterly cold winter storm struck the largely rural and underdeveloped province on Monday, causing a river to burst its banks and submerge homes, with several make-shift dwellings toppled. The worst-hit area was around the city of Mthatha, about 800 kilometres (500 miles) south of Johannesburg, where residents picked through the mud three days later to salvage what they could from their destroyed homes. AFP journalists saw a rescue team pull four bodies, some of them children, from a one-roomed house in the late afternoon as locals watched. Houses, trees and cars were covered in mud and fields were strewn with debris. "As the water subsides, more bodies are being discovered," said Caroline Gallant, Eastern Cape manager at the South African Red Cross Society, which has sent assistance to the disaster zone. Cogta Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa says there will be strict oversight on disaster relief funds that are allocated to provinces, following the flooding this week. Image: Independent Newspapers Archives More than 3,000 houses have been affected, she told AFP, adding it was "the worst ever disaster" recorded in the area. "The figure has gone to 78," Velenkosini Hlabisa, minister of cooperative governance and traditional affairs, told public broadcaster SABC News. These include six school students who were among 10 in a school van that was swept away in the flooding, he said. Four of the children are still missing, officials said. "We learnt of an additional two learners today... who have been confirmed as having died on the walk to school," Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube said. "We are reeling," she told the SABC. Ali Sablay, a spokesperson for disaster response charity the Gift of the Givers Foundation, said Thursday evening their teams had recovered eight new bodies, including three children. President Cyril Ramaphosa called the floods "unprecedented" and said he would visit the disaster-hit region Friday. Door to door One rescuer, who spoke to AFP on Thursday on the condition of anonymity as he was not allowed to speak to the media, said his team was expecting to find more bodies and possibly survivors. "We are going door to door to see, because yesterday we did find people locked inside houses who couldn't get out and were deceased," he said. The storm damaged power and water supplies and at least 600 people have been displaced, the provincial government said, with many sheltering in community halls. Infrastructure has also been damaged and at least 20 health facilities affected, the local authority said. "The numbers will increase dramatically," Sablay said. "In the last 24 hours the number of people requiring assistance has jumped from 5,000 to 10,000," he told AFP. "The homes are fragile, they can collapse any time; food is contaminated so people need to be evacuated," he added. The government urged South Africans to be vigilant over the next few days as more "extreme weather" was expected across the country. The province -- where Nelson Mandela was born -- is among the poorest in the country, with 72 percent of people living below the poverty line, according to the Southern African Regional Poverty Network. Snow and heavy rainfall are common during winter but the country is also highly vulnerable to the impact of climate variability and change, which increases the frequency and severity of droughts, floods and wildfires, according to the Green Climate Fund. "We must take a tough stance that everyone who is living on a flood plain must be removed," minister Hlabisa said. "Climate change is a reality now." SUNDAY TRIBUNE
