Rescue teams in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province have recovered more bodies, bringing the death toll to at least 86, after severe flooding hit the region earlier this week.
President Cyril Ramaphosa visited the poverty-stricken province on Friday, describing the disaster as “catastrophic” and attributing it to climate change.
President Ramaphosa emphasised the vulnerability of South Africa to climate change, which increases the frequency and severity of extreme weather events.
The Green Climate Fund lists South Africa among the nations most at risk from global warming, with projections pointing to more extreme floods, droughts, and heatwaves in the future.
The floods, caused by heavy rains and strong winds, have submerged homes, roads, schools, and health facilities, leaving thousands displaced.
Mthatha, a city about 800 kilometers south of Johannesburg, has been particularly affected, with waters rising over four meters high in some areas.
The village of Qunu, birthplace of Nelson Mandela, has also been impacted.
Rescuers are searching door-to-door for bodies and possible survivors, with many people trapped inside their homes when the water rushed in during the night.
Some managed to escape to their roofs, waiting long hours for help. A school bus was swept away, resulting in the deaths of at least six children and three adults, with four students still missing.
Rescue teams, including the Gift of the Givers Foundation, are providing food, clean water, blankets, and other emergency supplies
