At Least 49 Dead in South Africa Floods; Death Toll Expected to Rise

At least 49 people have been confirmed dead following devastating floods in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province, one of the country’s poorest regions. Officials warned Wednesday that the death toll is likely to increase as search efforts continue for the missing.

The floods struck early Tuesday after a severe weather system swept through the region, bringing torrential rain, gale-force winds, and snowfall to parts of the rural southeast. The Eastern Cape bore the brunt of the storm.

“As we speak, more bodies are being discovered,” said Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane during a press briefing. “This is one of the worst weather-related disasters this province has ever faced. I have never seen anything like it.”

Among the victims were six high school students who were swept away when their school bus was caught in floodwaters near the town of Mthatha, one of the hardest-hit areas. Four other students remain missing. Authorities found the submerged bus on Wednesday, but it was empty. Three students had been rescued the day before, found clinging to trees and calling for help. A driver and another adult on board the bus also died.

Search and rescue operations are set to continue into Thursday. Officials did not specify how many people are still unaccounted for but said they are working closely with families to identify the missing.

Disaster response teams have been deployed across the Eastern Cape and neighboring KwaZulu-Natal province. Authorities also reported mudslides and widespread damage to infrastructure.

President Cyril Ramaphosa offered condolences to affected families and confirmed that the National Disaster Management Center is coordinating efforts with local authorities. “This is devastation,” his office said in a statement.

Unusually heavy snowfall was recorded in parts of the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, and the inland Free State province, intensifying the crisis. The storm has caused widespread power outages, affecting hundreds of thousands of homes.

Eastern Cape officials said hundreds of families have been displaced, now living in temporary shelters after their homes were destroyed. At least 58 schools and 20 hospitals were damaged, particularly in Mthatha and surrounding areas. Other homes remain submerged, and streets are littered with debris, cars, and wreckage carried by the floodwaters.

South Africa frequently experiences intense weather fronts from the Indian and Southern Oceans. In 2022, more than 400 people died in flooding in Durban and surrounding areas. Poor, informal settlements often bear the worst impact, accounting for the majority of fatalities.