logo
Floods Kill 78 People in South Africa After Record Rainfall

Floods Kill 78 People in South Africa After Record Rainfall

Bloomberg18 hours ago

By and Matthew Hill
Save
Floods killed at least 78 people after record rainfall in South Africa's impoverished Eastern Cape province.
On June 9, a winter storm dropped 129 millimeters (5.1 inches) of rain on the town of Mthatha, close to Nelson Mandela's burial site, nearly doubling the previous record, according to preliminary data from the South African Weather Service. Elliot weather station recorded 160 millimeters, about four times the previous high in 1997.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

At least 11 dead and others missing in San Antonio flash flooding
At least 11 dead and others missing in San Antonio flash flooding

Yahoo

time3 hours ago

  • Yahoo

At least 11 dead and others missing in San Antonio flash flooding

At least 11 people have been killed and several others remain missing after torrential rains triggered flash flooding across San Antonio this week, inundating roads, sweeping away vehicles, and prompting dozens of water rescues, officials said. A powerful storm system moved through the area early Thursday, dumping eight inches of rain between midnight and 4 a.m. and spawning two confirmed tornadoes in neighboring Hays County, the National Weather Service reported. San Antonio Fire Department spokesperson Joe Arrington said more than 70 rescues had been made by Friday, which included people being pulled from trees, bushes, and submerged vehicles. As of Friday evening, the number of people still unaccounted for remained unclear. 'These are low-water crossings that are very difficult to gauge in terms of depth and speed,' San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said. 'The water rose rapidly and left very little time for escape.' Among the missing is 42-year-old Stevie Richards, who was driving to work early Thursday when his vehicle stalled in rising floodwaters. His wife, Angela Richards, told reporters she was on the phone with him when the car began to float. 'As I was talking to him, he said, 'Oh, the car's floating'… It wasn't even a whole minute later that I could hear it hitting up against something, him screaming and cussing, and I could hear the water take the phone. It happened really, really fast,' she told the San Antonio Express-News. 'And that's the last I heard.' The Bexar County Medical Examiner's Office said the 11 killed range in age from 28 to 55 years old. Bodies were recovered both in and beyond the flood zones, officials said. Mayor Ron Nirenberg and his wife expressed condolences, calling the loss 'agonizing' and offering prayers for those still missing. 'Our hearts are with the families of those we've lost to this week's flash floods and the families who continue searching for their loved ones,' Nirenberg said in a statement. 'Erika and I will be praying that those who are missing are found without harm.' The National Weather Service confirmed two EF0 tornadoes touched down in Hays County early Thursday, bringing winds between 65 and 85 mph and causing minor structural and tree damage near Wimberley, about an hour northeast of San Antonio. City officials said 18 roads remained closed Friday due to damage or lingering floodwaters. At least 15 of the city's 141 low-water crossings were damaged. Flood warnings remain in effect for areas south of the city, where the San Antonio River and Cibolo Creek are forecast to rise above their banks through Saturday. The weather service warned that floodwaters from earlier in the week are still flowing downstream, posing continued risk to affected communities.

San Antonio Death Toll Rises to at Least 11 amid Massive Flooding, Several People Still Missing
San Antonio Death Toll Rises to at Least 11 amid Massive Flooding, Several People Still Missing

Yahoo

time4 hours ago

  • Yahoo

San Antonio Death Toll Rises to at Least 11 amid Massive Flooding, Several People Still Missing

A downpour of rain hit San Antonio on Thursday, June 12, resulting in massive flooding across the city The death toll has since reached 11, officials confirmed on Friday, June 13 Though dozens of people have been rescued, several others remain unaccounted forThe death toll has climbed to 11 as dangerous floods hit San Antonio. The downpour of rain began on Thursday, June 12, resulting in floods that persisted across the seventh-largest city in the U.S. On Friday, June 13, officials confirmed the death toll rose to 11 people. Five people were declared dead on Thursday, June 12. The other six victims were discovered throughout Bexar County, said a Bexar County Medical Examiner's office spokesperson on Friday, June 13, per New York Post. The Bexar County Medical Examiner's office added that three of the confirmed dead were Victor Manuel Macias Castro, 28, Matthew Angel Tufono, 51, and Martha De La Torre Rangel, 55, per KENS 5 and the San Antonio Report. The San Antonio Police Department is investigating their deaths, per The New York Times. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Several people are still unaccounted for, but the number of missing people has slowly decreased, a San Antonio Fire Department spokesperson confirmed to PEOPLE. The Thursday, June 12, rainfall dropped 7 inches, and residents climbed trees to escape rising water. Over 70 people have been rescued from the floodwaters, with a majority of people being pulled from their stalled vehicles. The San Antonio Fire Department said that at least 10 people were found a mile from their sunken cars and removed from bushes and trees, per the New York Post. The primary search efforts remain focused on the Salado Creek and the Leon Creek areas, the San Antonio Fire Department spokesperson confirmed to PEOPLE. The family of Rudy Garza, one of the deceased victims, announced the 61-year-old died, per KENS 5. His daughter, Brittany Guerrero, told the outlet that his body was recovered on Friday. "He said, 'Oh my God, Sylvia water is in my car,' " Brittany recalled. Noting that her mother was on the phone with him before he died: "She's like 'Baby…' They both said their 'I love you's' and she said the call faded away." Angel Richards told the San Antonio Express-News that her husband, Stevie Richards, 42, is still missing after his car was swept away. 'As I was talking to him, he said, 'Oh, the car's floating'… It wasn't even a whole minute later that I could hear it hitting up against something, him screaming and cussing, and I could hear the water take the phone,' she told the outlet. 'It happened really, really fast.' Read the original article on People

Alaska Weather Office Issues First Heat Warning
Alaska Weather Office Issues First Heat Warning

New York Times

time8 hours ago

  • New York Times

Alaska Weather Office Issues First Heat Warning

The National Weather Service issued its first-ever heat advisory in Alaska on Friday. The advisory, a warning to the public of warm weather expected in the Fairbanks area on Sunday, is the first in a state known for glaciers and fjords — but it's not because forecasters are expecting records to be shattered. It's just the first because the option to issue one is new. Ciara Santiago, a forecaster with the Weather Service office in Fairbanks, said that in the past, the agency had issued 'special weather statements' to alert residents in Alaska to warm weather. It's a catchall term the Weather Service uses for a variety of weather, including heat events. This month, the Weather Service adopted the 'heat advisory' language for unseasonably warm weather to provide clearer messaging. A forecast high of 85 on Sunday in Fairbanks is the first opportunity the agency has had to use it. (It's far short of the record high for the date there: 96 degrees, set in 1969.) 85 degrees feels hot in Alaska, where air-conditioning is scarce. The heat is coming to this part of Alaska because of high pressure building into the region. Fairbanks is also expected to reach 85 degrees on Monday and Tuesday, and the Weather Service was likely to issue advisories for those days too. Ms. Santiago said that 85 degrees might not seem especially hot to someone living in, say, Texas, where she grew up, but it's very warm for people in Alaska, where highs in June are typically in the 70s and most homes and buildings don't have air-conditioning. This spring, Alaska has experienced unusually cool weather; it wasn't until Wednesday that Fairbanks reached 70 degrees for the first time. 'This is another reason why it was so important for us to issue this heat advisory,' Ms. Santiago said. 'It really hits home that this new weather pattern shift is a stark difference to what we were experiencing in the last couple of weeks.' The Weather Service office in Fairbanks also issued a flood watch from Friday to Tuesday for the North Slope, a region north of Fairbanks, warning that the rapid melting of snow could cause ice jams in rivers. 'These jams can cause sudden and severe rises in water levels, posing a significant threat to roads or other infrastructure near the affected waterways,' the Weather Service said.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store