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The Citizen
23-06-2025
- Climate
- The Citizen
Death toll rises to 100 as Eastern Cape flood devastation deepens
The death toll in the devastating floods that struck the Eastern Cape has risen to 100, with fewer than 10 people still missing, as search and rescue operations continue across the province. According to eNCA, five bodies were recovered in Mthatha today, where the community remains in shock. The Witness reports that yesterday afternoon, two bodies were discovered by a resident, raising the death toll to 95 at the time. Now, with 100 confirmed deaths, families are either mourning their loved ones or desperately awaiting news of the missing. Ramaphosa blames climate change for 'catastrophic' floods President Cyril Ramaphosa visited the disaster-stricken area on Friday, describing the floods as a 'catastrophic disaster' caused by climate change. He met with survivors and grieving families in Mthatha, the city hardest hit by torrential rain and mudslides, where entire neighbourhoods were submerged and thousands left displaced. 'This is a catastrophic disaster which is caused by climate change,' Ramaphosa said, adding that flood waters had surged over four metres high in some areas. 'During winter, we expect cold and snow here in the Eastern Cape. Now we are confronting floods – this goes to show the severity of climate change.' Ramaphosa also visited the site where a school bus was swept away, killing at least six children and three adults. Four children remain unaccounted for. One woman, who lost her mother and two young nephews in the floods, broke down in tears while sharing her story with the president. Rescue workers have been going door to door searching for survivors and retrieving bodies from rivers and collapsed homes. In some cases, residents escaped by climbing onto rooftops and waiting hours for help. The South African Red Cross Society said at least 3 500 households have been affected in the Mthatha area, with many people now sheltering in community halls. Aid organisations said the number of people in need is expected to increase dramatically. Ali Sablay of the disaster response organisation Gift of the Givers said many homes are still at risk of collapse. Food is contaminated, infrastructure is damaged – people need to be evacuated. At least 20 health facilities and 58 schools have been damaged by the flooding, according to local authorities. Though the weather has since cleared in some areas, parts of the Eastern Cape remain unstable and at risk. The Green Climate Fund previously classified South Africa as highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change, including more frequent and severe extreme weather events. Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal. Read original story on At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Kuwait Times
15-06-2025
- Climate
- Kuwait Times
78 killed in South Africa floods
Power and water lines damaged, hundreds of people displaced MTHATHA, South Africa: South Africa rescue teams recovered more bodies Thursday, days after heavy rains and strong winds battered the Eastern Cape province, as the death toll rose to at least 78. The bitterly cold winter storm struck the largely rural and underdeveloped province on Monday, causing a river to burst its banks and submerge homes, with several make-shift dwellings toppled. The worst-hit area was around the city of Mthatha, about 800 km south of Johannesburg, where residents picked through the mud three days later to salvage what they could from their destroyed homes. AFP journalists saw a rescue team pull four bodies, some of them children, from a one-roomed house in the late afternoon as locals watched. Houses, trees and cars were covered in mud and fields were strewn with debris. 'As the water subsides, more bodies are being discovered,' said Caroline Gallant, Eastern Cape manager at the South African Red Cross Society, which has sent assistance to the disaster zone. More than 3,000 houses have been affected, she told AFP, adding it was 'the worst ever disaster' recorded in the area. 'The figure has gone to 78,' Velenkosini Hlabisa, minister of cooperative governance and traditional affairs, told public broadcaster SABC News. These include six school students who were among 10 in a school van that was swept away in the flooding, he said. Four of the children are still missing, officials said. 'We learnt of an additional two learners today... who have been confirmed as having died on the walk to school,' Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube said. 'We are reeling,' she told the SABC. Ali Sablay, a spokesperson for disaster response charity the Gift of the Givers Foundation, said Thursday evening their teams had recovered eight new bodies, including three children. President Cyril Ramaphosa called the floods 'unprecedented' and said he would visit the disaster-hit region Friday. One rescuer, who spoke to AFP on Thursday on the condition of anonymity as he was not allowed to speak to the media, said his team was expecting to find more bodies and possibly survivors. 'We are going door to door to see, because yesterday we did find people locked inside houses who couldn't get out and were deceased,' he said. The storm damaged power and water supplies and at least 600 people have been displaced, the provincial government said, with many sheltering in community halls. Infrastructure has also been damaged and at least 20 health facilities affected, the local authority said. 'The numbers will increase dramatically,' Sablay said. 'In the last 24 hours the number of people requiring assistance has jumped from 5,000 to 10,000,' he told AFP. 'The homes are fragile, they can collapse any time; food is contaminated so people need to be evacuated,' he added. The government urged South Africans to be vigilant over the next few days as more 'extreme weather' was expected across the country. The province – where Nelson Mandela was born – is among the poorest in the country, with 72 percent of people living below the poverty line, according to the Southern African Regional Poverty Network. Snow and heavy rainfall are common during winter in South Africa but the country is also highly vulnerable to the impact of climate variability and change, which increases the frequency and severity of droughts, floods and wildfires, according to the Green Climate Fund. 'We must take a tough stance that everyone who is living on a flood plain must be removed,' minister Hlabisa said. 'Climate change is a reality now.' – AFP
The South African
13-06-2025
- Climate
- The South African
Cyril Ramaphosa blames climate change for 'catastrophic' Eastern Cape floods
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa met with survivors of devastating floods that killed at least 78 people in the Eastern Cape, blaming the 'catastrophic disaster' on climate change. Ramaphosa toured the disaster zone and met with survivors in the region, where thousands of houses, roads, schools and health facilities were left caked in mud after being completely submerged in floodwaters, leaving many people with nothing in one of the poorest parts of the country. Rescuers were going door to door searching for bodies or possible survivors, as people got stuck inside their homes when the water rushed in during the night. Some managed to escape to their roofs, where they waited long hours for help. Ramaphosa visited the site where a school bus was swept away, killing at least six children and three adults. Four of the children were still missing. He also spoke with a woman who lost her mother and at least two of her young nephews. The woman was sobbing as the president listened to her story. 'This is a catastrophic disaster which is caused by climate change,' said Ramaphosa, who estimated the flood waters had reached more than four metres (13 feet) high. 'During winter, we expect cold as well as snow here in the Eastern Cape. Now that we are confronting floods, this goes to show the severity of the issue of climate change.' Snow and heavy rainfall are common during winter in South Africa, but coastal parts of the country were hit by 'unprecedented' weather conditions, Ramaphosa said. According to the Green Climate Fund, the country is highly vulnerable to the impact of climate variability and change, which increases the frequency and severity of extreme weather. The death toll from the floods, which officials said stood at 78 on Thursday, could still rise. Earlier on Friday, bodies were still being retrieved from a nearby river. The area worst hit by the floods and subsequent landslides was the city of Mthatha. The city is near the village of Qunu, birthplace of Nelson Mandela, the late anti-apartheid hero and former president. The South African Red Cross Society, which sent aid to the Mthatha area, told AFP at least 3 500 households had been affected, with many people sheltering in community halls. AFP journalists saw a rescue team pull four bodies, some of them children, from a one-roomed house in the late afternoon. The surrounding area was strewn with debris and locals sobbed as they watched the recovery. 'When we came out of the house, the water was above the knee, all the furniture inside was floating,' Sopiseka, a survivor, told AFP. Ali Sablay, a spokesperson for disaster response charity the Gift of the Givers Foundation, said the number of people requiring assistance could increase 'dramatically'. 'The homes are fragile, they can collapse anytime. Food is contaminated, so people need to be evacuated,' said Sablay. At least 20 health facilities and 58 schools were damaged in the Eastern Cape, according to local authorities. Post your condolences to the families of those who lost loved ones, by … Leaving a comment below, or sending a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news. By Garrin Lambley © Agence France-Presse
![Eastern Cape flood deaths climb to 78 [video]](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thesouthafrican.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2025%2F06%2FGtTIDh0aMAAYfHY-1.jpeg.optimal.jpeg&w=3840&q=100)
The South African
13-06-2025
- Climate
- The South African
Eastern Cape flood deaths climb to 78 [video]
South Africa rescue teams recovered more bodies on Thursday, days after heavy rains and strong winds battered the Eastern Cape province, as the death toll rose to at least 78 due to floods. The bitterly cold winter storm struck the largely rural and underdeveloped province on Monday, causing a river to burst its banks and submerge homes, with several make-shift dwellings toppled. The worst-hit area was around the city of Mthatha, about 800km south of Johannesburg, where residents picked through the mud three days later to salvage what they could from their destroyed homes. Read the full version of the ' Death toll rises to 78 as more bodies found after Eastern Cape floods' article. AFP journalists saw a rescue team pull four bodies, some of them children, from a one-roomed house in the late afternoon as locals watched. Houses, trees and cars were covered in mud and fields were strewn with debris. 'As the water subsides, more bodies are being discovered,' said Caroline Gallant, Eastern Cape manager at the South African Red Cross Society, which has sent assistance to the disaster zone. Looking for quick updates? Watch News in a Minute videos on The South African's YouTube page for all the key stories you need to know! Catch all the latest videos on news, lifestyle, travel, sports and more – there's always something to watch! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and BlueSky to stay connected and get your news on the go!
IOL News
13-06-2025
- Climate
- IOL News
Death toll in South Africa floods rise to 78
The death toll has risen to 78 following inclement weather and flooding in the Eastern Cape this week. Image: OR Tambo District Municipality South African rescue teams recovered more bodies Thursday, days after heavy rains and strong winds battered the Eastern Cape province, as the death toll rose to at least 78. The bitterly cold winter storm struck the largely rural and underdeveloped province on Monday, causing a river to burst its banks and submerge homes, with several make-shift dwellings toppled. The worst-hit area was around the city of Mthatha, about 800 kilometres (500 miles) south of Johannesburg, where residents picked through the mud three days later to salvage what they could from their destroyed homes. AFP journalists saw a rescue team pull four bodies, some of them children, from a one-roomed house in the late afternoon as locals watched. Houses, trees and cars were covered in mud and fields were strewn with debris. "As the water subsides, more bodies are being discovered," said Caroline Gallant, Eastern Cape manager at the South African Red Cross Society, which has sent assistance to the disaster zone. Cogta Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa says there will be strict oversight on disaster relief funds that are allocated to provinces, following the flooding this week. Image: Independent Newspapers Archives More than 3,000 houses have been affected, she told AFP, adding it was "the worst ever disaster" recorded in the area. "The figure has gone to 78," Velenkosini Hlabisa, minister of cooperative governance and traditional affairs, told public broadcaster SABC News. These include six school students who were among 10 in a school van that was swept away in the flooding, he said. Four of the children are still missing, officials said. "We learnt of an additional two learners today... who have been confirmed as having died on the walk to school," Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube said. "We are reeling," she told the SABC. Ali Sablay, a spokesperson for disaster response charity the Gift of the Givers Foundation, said Thursday evening their teams had recovered eight new bodies, including three children. President Cyril Ramaphosa called the floods "unprecedented" and said he would visit the disaster-hit region Friday. Door to door One rescuer, who spoke to AFP on Thursday on the condition of anonymity as he was not allowed to speak to the media, said his team was expecting to find more bodies and possibly survivors. "We are going door to door to see, because yesterday we did find people locked inside houses who couldn't get out and were deceased," he said. The storm damaged power and water supplies and at least 600 people have been displaced, the provincial government said, with many sheltering in community halls. Infrastructure has also been damaged and at least 20 health facilities affected, the local authority said. "The numbers will increase dramatically," Sablay said. "In the last 24 hours the number of people requiring assistance has jumped from 5,000 to 10,000," he told AFP. "The homes are fragile, they can collapse any time; food is contaminated so people need to be evacuated," he added. The government urged South Africans to be vigilant over the next few days as more "extreme weather" was expected across the country. The province -- where Nelson Mandela was born -- is among the poorest in the country, with 72 percent of people living below the poverty line, according to the Southern African Regional Poverty Network. Snow and heavy rainfall are common during winter but the country is also highly vulnerable to the impact of climate variability and change, which increases the frequency and severity of droughts, floods and wildfires, according to the Green Climate Fund. "We must take a tough stance that everyone who is living on a flood plain must be removed," minister Hlabisa said. "Climate change is a reality now." SUNDAY TRIBUNE
