South Africa floods leave at least 57 dead as survivor search enters third day
The death toll in South African floods has risen to 57, a government minister visiting the scene of the disaster said Thursday.
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The flooding in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province has seen rescuers enter a third day of searching for survivors, with the incident devastating the rural areas of the region.
Flooding Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa said the flooding around the town of Mthatha in southeastern South Africa was “a real disaster and a catastrophe when we have so many people dying.”
Those missing includes four high school students who were swept away when their bus was caught up in the floods near a river on Tuesday.
Six students on the bus were confirmed dead, while three were rescued after clinging onto trees and calling out for help, according to the provincial government.
The floods hit the province early Tuesday after an extreme cold front brought heavy rain, strong winds and snow to parts of eastern and southern South Africa.
Forecasters had warned about the damaging weather last week.
Eastern Cape provincial government officials said they believed people were still missing but did not give an exact number.
They were working with families to find out who was still unaccounted for, they said.
On Wednesday, rescue teams brought bodies out of the water in blue body bags, while witnesses said many people had taken refuge on the top of buildings or in trees.
The floods centered on the town of Mthatha and its surrounding district, which is around 430 kilometers (267 miles) south of the east coast city of Durban.
Officials said at least 58 schools and 20 hospitals were damaged, while hundreds of families were left homeless after their houses were submerged under water or washed away by the floods.
Critical infrastructure including roads and bridges has been badly damaged, Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane said.