At least 67 people have died following devastating floods that struck South Africa’s Eastern Cape province earlier this week, rescue officials confirmed on Thursday. Heavy rains, strong winds, and a bitterly cold winter storm battered the region on Monday, causing rivers to overflow and destroying homes especially in the city of Mthatha, the worst-affected area.
The storm, which President Cyril Ramaphosa called “unprecedented,” has submerged entire communities and forced hundreds to flee to temporary shelters. Many of the affected areas are rural and impoverished, with fragile infrastructure and makeshift dwellings ill-equipped to withstand such extreme weather. Over 3,000 houses were impacted, and at least 600 people have been displaced, according to the Eastern Cape provincial government.
Rescue teams have continued to recover bodies from the wreckage, with children among the deceased. Four children were pulled from a collapsed one-room house in Mthatha as desperate residents watched. Officials also confirmed that six students died when their school transport van was swept away by floodwaters, while two others perished walking to school.
Caroline Gallant of the South African Red Cross Society described the disaster as the “worst ever” in the region. The storm has also damaged power lines, water supplies, and at least 20 health facilities, compounding the humanitarian crisis. Aid organizations, including the Gift of the Givers Foundation, are warning of worsening conditions as more homes risk collapse and food contamination spreads.
Rescue operations are ongoing, with teams going door to door in search of survivors or deceased residents trapped in flooded homes. Local authorities warn the death toll may rise further as more bodies are discovered.
The government has urged residents to remain alert, with forecasts indicating more extreme weather in the coming days. Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa emphasized the urgency of relocating people from flood-prone areas, citing the real and growing threat of climate change.
The Eastern Cape, birthplace of Nelson Mandela, remains one of South Africa’s poorest provinces, with 72% of its population living below the poverty line. As climate disasters intensify, the need for proactive disaster preparedness and resilient infrastructure becomes ever more critical
