JOHANNESBURG, June 12 – At least 78 people have died in devastating floods across South Africa’s Eastern Cape province, with authorities warning the number could rise as search teams scour submerged areas.
Heavy rains and snow battered parts of the country over the weekend, triggered by a harsh winter storm that knocked out power, damaged roads, and left entire neighborhoods underwater. The death toll, which stood at 49 on Wednesday, has climbed sharply as emergency crews recover more bodies.
“The number has increased to 78,” said Velenkosini Hlabisa, Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, in an interview with SABC. “As floodwaters recede, we expect to find more victims.”
