CAPE TOWN, South Africa — Flooding in Eastern Cape province, South Africa, has led to a rising death toll, now standing at 86, according to the police minister. Efforts by rescuers to find missing individuals and retrieve bodies have persisted in the vicinity of Mthatha following the catastrophic floodwaters that surged early on Tuesday morning.
Senzo Mchunu, the country’s police minister, addressed the rescue teams who have been diligently searching for the missing and recovering bodies in Mthatha and surrounding areas. He described the flooding as a grave tragedy, urging residents to disregard misleading social media rumors that blamed the calamity on the alleged opening of sluice gates at a neighboring dam. Mchunu clarified that the Mthatha Dam, at the center of these allegations, is not equipped with sluice gates.
President Cyril Ramaphosa, during a Friday visit to the affected region, stated that an investigation would be conducted to determine if any issues with nearby dams contributed to the tragedy. Reports indicate that water levels rose 3-4 meters (10-13 feet) in certain areas, sweeping victims away along with portions of their homes and trapping others inside.
Ramaphosa has partly attributed these rains and the resultant flooding to climate change, noting that some coastal regions of South Africa are increasingly susceptible to such weather-related calamities. In 2022, over 400 individuals perished in floods near Durban on the east coast, with research linking the event to climate change influences.
Despite early warnings from weather services about a severe cold front bringing heavy rain and gale-force winds, residents in the Mthatha area and a nearby district were largely caught unprepared. This region, primarily rural and among the least affluent in South Africa, suffered particularly among communities residing in informal settlements near the river bank, which was severely breached. The authorities have faced criticism both for their emergency response and the state of regional infrastructure.
Officials remain concerned that more people are still missing, and the death toll might climb as rescue efforts continue throughout the waterlogged landscape and damaged homes. Among the grim discoveries on Saturday was the body of a boy believed to be around 13 or 14 years old. A significant number of children are among those deceased, although exact figures are yet to be confirmed. Tragically, some victims were found up to 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) from their homes, carried away by the torrents.