In Cape Town, South Africa, the devastating floods that have struck one of the nation’s poorest provinces have now claimed the lives of at least 78 people. Authorities are grappling with a lack of resources that hampered initial rescue efforts, and search operations continued on Thursday for those missing.
Rescue teams have been diligently working through the debris and floodwaters for three consecutive days following an outburst of the river that began in the predawn hours of Tuesday. The hardest hit was the town of Mthatha and surrounding areas, resulting in significant destruction of homes and vehicles with many victims being swept away.
Oscar Mabuyane, the Eastern Cape province’s premier, explained that the floods occurred while most people were still asleep, catching them unprepared. He described how waters up to 3 to 4 meters deep overflowed from the river into the communities, leaving destruction in their wake.
“This is a dire situation,” Mabuyane relayed to state television, acknowledging that the natural calamity happened at an unfortunate time and location. He commented on the under-resourced nature of the region, pointing out that Eastern Cape, a largely rural area home to around 7.2 million residents, only has one rescue helicopter available, which had to travel from Gqeberha about 500 kilometers away.
For effective rescue operations, additional support was summoned, including a second helicopter and specialized units, such as rescue divers and K-9 teams, brought in from other regions.
“When emergencies like this arise, we find ourselves in a state of paralysis,” lamented Mabuyane.
As rescue missions proceeded, body bags containing victims were retrieved from the floods. Eyewitnesses reported hearing cries for help from those stranded on rooftops and trees.
By Thursday evening, the death toll had climbed to 78, according to Velenkosini Hlabisa, the Minister for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, who visited the affected sites with a national government delegation.
“This is indeed a catastrophe, a profound disaster when many lives are lost,” stated Hlabisa, highlighting the dangerous living conditions of many affected residents who resided close to the riverbanks.
Although authorities did not specify the exact number of those still missing, they confirmed that rescue operations would proceed into Friday.
Among the missing were four high school students who were swept away when their school bus was caught in the floodwaters during their journey to school on Tuesday morning. Authorities have not confirmed if these students were accounted for among the bodies recently discovered.
Six students from the bus have been confirmed deceased alongside the driver and another adult, while three other students were rescued after clinging to trees and calling for help.
Prior to the floods, weather alerts had been issued as an extreme cold front emerged, bringing torrential rain, high winds, and snow across parts of southern and eastern South Africa.
Officials report significant damage to infrastructure, with at least 127 schools and 20 medical facilities impacted, and approximately 1,000 individuals currently in community shelters after their homes were inundated or destroyed. Critical infrastructure, including roads and bridges, faced severe damage as well.
President Cyril Ramaphosa announced plans to visit the Eastern Cape, intending to assess the situation and support affected families. Earlier in the week, he activated the National Disaster Management Center to aid local authorities.
The government’s response has faced criticism from opposition parties, such as the Economic Freedom Fighters, who attribute the disaster to governmental neglect in vulnerable areas of the Eastern Cape.