At least 10 people have died and thousands of homes have been destroyed after torrential rains triggered flooding across six provinces in South Africa. The government has declared a natural disaster, allowing the use of emergency funds and resources to respond to the crisis.
The severe weather, which began on 4 May, has affected the Western Cape, North West, Free State, Eastern Cape, Northern Cape and Mpumalanga provinces. Cape Town has been particularly hard hit, with the Western Cape provincial government ordering the temporary closure of schools and parts of the Table Mountain tourist attraction.
Local officials in Cape Town reported that at least 26 informal settlements around the city have been flooded, with over 10,000 structures damaged. President Cyril Ramaphosa expressed "deep sadness" over the loss of life and said authorities are "making the best use of science to pre-empt some of these events and to respond to the aftermath."
Experts have warned that severe floods across Southern Africa are intensifying due to extreme weather patterns. Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe have experienced unusually heavy rains in recent months, with the region facing its worst flooding in years. In January, South Africa declared a national disaster after floods killed at least 30 people in the north.
