South Africa: 49 die as double-whammy of torrential rain-induced floods, landslides hits

Torrential rains and landslides triggered by a severe winter storm have killed at least 49 people in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province, officials said Wednesday (June 11). The victims include four children who were on a school minibus swept away by floodwaters.

Eastern Cape Premier Lubabalo Oscar Mabuyane said the death toll is expected to rise, as authorities continue to assess the extent of the damage and search for missing people in the largely rural region.

“As of now, the stats have escalated to 49 [deaths],” Mabuyane told reporters during a press briefing.

Among the casualties were four children travelling in a school minibus that was carrying 13 people near the city of Mthatha when it was swept away by floodwaters. “Sadly, four of those learners have been confirmed to be deceased, together with the driver and the conductor of the minibus taxi,” Mabuyane said.

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Three students were rescued alive, while four others remain missing, he added.
Much of South Africa has been battered by intense winter weather in recent days, including heavy rainfall, snow, and strong winds. The Eastern Cape, which extends from the Indian Ocean coastline into mountainous terrain inland, has been especially hard hit.

“We have never seen this kind of combination of snow and torrential rains in winter simultaneously,” Mabuyane said.

Search and rescue efforts ongoing

Authorities said they are still trying to determine the number of people missing. “Now we are busy with the rescue operation. So we are trying to get figures, our people out of that situation, dead or alive,” Mabuyane said.

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Provincial Transport Minister Xolile Nqatha said the death toll is likely to increase as emergency workers continue their efforts. “What we would not know, besides the four kids, is how many people we are looking for,” he said.

Photos and video from the affected areas showed informal settlements submerged in floodwaters. On Tuesday (June 10), three children were rescued after clinging to trees for several hours to escape rising water levels, officials said.

Hundreds of displaced families are currently taking shelter in community centres amid bitter cold. Infrastructure, including power and water supplies, has also been severely damaged, provincial authorities said.

Limited resources hamper response

Mabuyane said the province is facing a shortage of emergency resources, with only one helicopter available for rescue operations.

“We need more resources,” he told public broadcaster SABC News. “We have never experienced disasters like this but now it’s inevitable with climate change and global warming.”

President Cyril Ramaphosa said in a statement that the harsh winter conditions “remain life-threatening,” and that emergency services, including the National Disaster Management Centre, were actively responding to the crisis.

South Africa’s national weather service has warned that extreme winter weather is expected to persist through at least midweek.

While winter storms, snow, and heavy rainfall are common in South Africa, the country remains vulnerable to the intensifying effects of climate change, which have increased the frequency and severity of droughts, floods, and wildfires, according to the Green Climate Fund.

With inputs from agencies