At least 49 people have died in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province after days of heavy rainfall and snow triggered severe flooding across the region, Eastern Cape authorities confirmed on Wednesday.
The largely rural province, which spans from the Indian Ocean coast to mountainous interior areas, has been overwhelmed by unprecedented winter weather, with continuous torrential rains and snowfall since the weekend.
“We have never seen this kind of combination of snow and torrential rains in winter simultaneously,” said Eastern Cape Premier Lubabalo Oscar Mabuyane, highlighting the extraordinary nature of the disaster, dw.com reports.
Tragically, among the dead were four schoolchildren who were passengers in a school minibus taxi that was swept away by floodwaters. The driver and the conductor of the vehicle also lost their lives.
“Four learners are still missing and are being searched for,” Mabuyane said. He added that three other children had been found alive.
Authorities have not yet released detailed information about the remaining fatalities, as rescue efforts continue in several flood-hit areas.
Rescue operations were underway with officials racing against time to locate survivors and recover victims. “We are busy with the rescue operation, trying to get our people out of that situation—dead or alive,” said Mabuyane.
He also revealed the resource constraints, noting that the province currently has access to only one operational helicopter for rescue missions. “We need more resources,” he said, emphasizing that disasters of this scale are becoming more frequent due to climate change and global warming.
Floodwaters have inundated homes, especially in informal settlements, displacing hundreds of families. Many residents have taken shelter in community centers, braving bitterly cold conditions as they wait for relief.
The storm has caused significant damage to critical infrastructure, including electricity and water supply systems, deepening the crisis in the affected areas.
The South African Weather Service has warned that extreme winter conditions are expected to persist until midweek.
President Cyril Ramaphosa issued a statement acknowledging the life-threatening nature of the current weather and assured that emergency services, including the National Disaster Management Centre, are actively responding to the evolving crisis.
“We will continue to give the requisite attention to these emergencies as they unfold,” the President stated.
As the nation grapples with the devastating impact of these weather events, officials have reiterated urgent calls for climate resilience and better disaster preparedness in the face of increasingly unpredictable conditions.
