Breaking News from Africa: Deadly Floods Batter South Africa, Killing at Least 78
CAPE TOWN, South Africa – The Eastern Cape province of South Africa has been devastated by severe floods, with the death toll rising to at least 78 as of Thursday, June 12, 2025. Rescue efforts have been significantly hampered by a lack of resources, according to provincial officials.
Heavy rainfall caused a river in the Mthatha area to burst its banks in the early hours of Tuesday, sweeping away homes, cars, and people as they slept. Oscar Mabuyane, the premier of Eastern Cape province, described the situation as “terrible,” with water levels reaching 3-4 meters (10-13 feet) in some areas. He highlighted the region’s limited resources, noting that the largely rural province with a population of 7.2 million has only one rescue helicopter.
Rescue teams are continuing to work through debris and floodwaters to find missing individuals and recover bodies. The Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister, Velenkosini Hlabisa, confirmed the rising death toll on Thursday evening. Among the missing were four high school students whose bus was caught in the floods, with six students, the driver, and another adult already confirmed dead from that incident.
The floods come after an extreme cold front brought heavy rain, strong winds, and snow to parts of eastern and southern South Africa. Authorities had issued weather warnings prior to the disaster. The widespread damage has affected at least 127 schools and 20 health facilities in the Eastern Cape, and around 1,000 people are currently in community shelters after their homes were submerged or washed away. Critical infrastructure, including roads and bridges, has also suffered extensive damage.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to visit the Eastern Cape on Friday to assess the situation and offer condolences to affected families.
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