Eight bodies recovered after South African school bus swept away by floods
FILE PHOTO: A man stumbles as he tries to cross a flooded road following severe weather with heavy rain from a cold front in Masiphumelele, Cape Town, South Africa on May 20, 2025. REUTERS/Nic Bothma
FILE PHOTO: Residents walk across a flooded road following severe weather with heavy rain from a cold front in Masiphumelele, Cape Town, South Africa on May 20, 2025. REUTERS/Nic Bothma
FILE PHOTO: A vehicle drives along a flooded road following severe weather with heavy rain from a cold front in Masiphumelele, Cape Town, South Africa on May 20, 2025. REUTERS/Nic Bothma
FILE PHOTO: Residents walk across a flooded road following severe weather with heavy rain from a cold front in Masiphumelele, Cape Town, South Africa on May 20, 2025. REUTERS/Nic Bothma
Eight bodies recovered after South African school bus swept away by floods
JOHANNESBURG - At least eight bodies have been recovered after a school bus was swept away by floods near Mthatha in South Africa's Eastern Cape province, officials said on Wednesday.
South Africa has been lashed by heavy rain and snow since the weekend, in a severe winter cold front which disrupted transport and power networks.
"It is indeed a sad thing and the search is still going on," Eastern Cape community safety official Xolile Nqatha told television station Newzroom Afrika.
Three children were rescued from the bus, President Cyril Ramaphosa's office said.
"President Ramaphosa offers his deep condolences to the bereaved families, affected communities and Eastern Cape residents at large," a statement said.
Flooding has become more common and severe in South Africa as the impacts of climate change are felt.
A storm on the East Coast in April 2022 killed about 400 people and left thousands homeless. REUTERS
Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
19 hours ago
- Straits Times
Short thundery showers expected on most days for rest of August
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Short-duration thundery showers are expected over parts of the island between late morning and afternoon on most days for the rest of August. SINGAPORE – Short-duration thundery showers are expected over parts of the island between the late morning and afternoon on most days for the rest of August, said the Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS) on Aug 15. In its fortnightly weather outlook, MSS said prevailing south-west monsoon conditions will continue in the second half of the month, with low-level winds blowing from the south-east or south-west. On a few days, the passage of Sumatra squalls may bring widespread thundery showers and gusty winds between the pre-dawn and morning. Rainfall for the second fortnight of August is likely to be near average over most parts of Singapore. Daily maximum temperatures are forecast to range between 32 deg C an d 34 deg C on most days, with a few warm and humid nights when temperatures may remain above 28 deg C . Reviewing the first half of August, MSS said short-duration thundery showers occurred over parts of the island on most afternoons. On several days, Sumatra squalls brought widespread thundery showers and gusty winds in the pre-dawn and morning. The highest daily total rainfall for the fortnight was 78.6mm , recorded in Pasir Laba on Aug 13 following widespread showers from a Sumatra squall. The first half of the month also saw several warm days, with the highest daily maximum temperature of 35.8 deg C recorded in Paya Lebar on Aug 2. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Ong Beng Seng fined $30k in case linked to ex-minister Iswaran after judge cites judicial mercy Singapore Why was Ong Beng Seng fined instead of jailed? Key points from the case Asia Sun Haiyan, ex-China ambassador to S'pore, detained for questioning: Sources Life Online travel agencies Klook and make debut at Natas Travel Fair Singapore Jail for drink-driving cop in hit-and-run accident; victim suffered multiple fractures Life How do household bomb shelters in Singapore really work? This broke the record for the highest daily maximum temperature for August, surpassing the previous high of 35.4 deg C recorded in Seletar in 2016 and Admiralty in 2020. Rainfall in the first fortnight was above average in some areas, with Jurong receiving 80 per cent more rain than usual, while Somerset saw 49 per cent below-average rainfall.
Straits Times
20 hours ago
- Straits Times
Spain battles 14 major fires with 'unfavourable conditions' expected to fuel more
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Local residents keep watch as a wildfire approaches the vicinity of Villanueva de la Sierra, Zamora, Spain August 14, 2025. REUTERS/Susana Vera MADRID - Spain battled against 14 major fires on Friday as authorities warned of "unfavourable conditions" to tackle fires that have already killed seven people and burned more than 150,000 hectares (579 square miles). A 12-day heatwave and southerly winds meant firefighters were facing another challenging day in one of the worst summers for fires in the past 20 years, said Virginia Barcones, director general of emergency services. "In the western part of the country the situation is extremely worrying," Barcones said on RTVE. In Galicia, several fronts had joined together to form an even bigger blaze forcing the closure of highways and rail services to the region. The national weather agency AEMET warned of extreme fire risk in the north and west of the country, as temperatures expected to reach as high as 40 Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) on the north coast were set to add fuel to the flames. "Today will be another very difficult day, with an extreme risk of new fires," Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez wrote on X. Firefighters have been battling to put out wildfires across southern Europe, with the flames stoked by the extended heat wave gripping the region. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Ong Beng Seng fined $30k in case linked to ex-minister Iswaran after judge cites judicial mercy Asia Sun Haiyan, ex-China ambassador to S'pore, detained for questioning: Sources Life Online travel agencies Klook and make debut in Natas Travel Fair Singapore Jail for drink-driving cop in hit-and-run accident, victim suffered multiple fractures Life How do household bomb shelters in Singapore really work? Life Blank canvas: JTC offers black-and-white bungalows for lease at Rochester Park Avincis, the largest operator of emergency aerial services in Spain and Europe, said it had registered a 50% increase from last year in flight hours dedicated to firefighting operations in Spain and Portugal so far this season. A fire near Molezuelas de la Carbellada in the Castile and Leon region that was one of the largest in Spain's history hadn't advanced since Thursday, said Angel Sanchez, head of the region's forest fire service. "We will continue working to stabilise it," he said. REUTERS
Straits Times
a day ago
- Straits Times
Heavy monsoon rain kills at least 30 in Pakistan
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Pakistan's meteorological department has issued a heavy rain alert for the north-west of the country. PESHAWAR, Pakistan – Heavy monsoon rain triggered landslides and flash floods across northern Pakistan, killing at least 30 people and leaving many others trapped in the debris of their homes, disaster authorities said on Aug 1 5. At least 23 people were killed in the past 24 hours in mountainous Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, while seven were killed in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, regional disaster management authorities said. A cloudburst washed away several houses in north-western Bajaur district, killing 16 people and stranding more than 20 others, the provincial disaster agency told AFP. The meteorological department has also issued a heavy rain alert for the north-west, urging people to avoid 'unnecessary exposure to vulnerable areas'. The annual monsoon season brings South Asia 70 to 80 per cent of its rainfall, which is vital for agriculture and food security, but also brings destruction. In 2022, monsoon floods submerged a third of the country and killed 1,700 people. AFP
