South Africa Declares National Disaster After Deadly Floods

South Africa has declared a national disaster after widespread flooding that destroyed homes and killed dozens across the region.

The announcement was made on Sunday by Elias Sithole, head of South Africa’s National Disaster Management Centre. Heavy rains and storms have hit the country for weeks, claiming more than 30 lives in the northeastern Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces.

Rivers burst their banks and flooded entire neighbourhoods in several regions of neighbouring Mozambique, displacing thousands of people. According to the latest government figures released on Friday, more than 173,000 people had been affected by the floods across Mozambique. At least eight people have died in Mozambique since December 21, according to official data.

Authorities continued to search for survivors and recover bodies over the weekend, but flooding had started receding in some areas, including the Kruger National Park, which had been forced to close and evacuate guests on Thursday. South African National Parks announced on social media that day visitation to the park will resume from Monday, still urging visitors to exercise caution.

South Africa also dispatched rescue teams to southern Mozambique on Sunday after a car carrying five members of a South African mayoral delegation was swept away by floodwaters in Chokwe, 200 kilometres north of Maputo.

SOURCE: AFP