The death toll in southeastern South Africa from floods caused by heavy rainfall has reached 86, South Africa's Police Minister Senzo Mchunu said.
“The death toll is likely to rise as search operations continue,“ he said. The epicenter of the disaster is the Or Tambo municipality in Eastern Cape province, where the Matata River overflowed its banks last Tuesday and Wednesday, flooding the town of the same name and a number of villages. Earlier, authorities announced 72 deaths.
Earlier, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa visited the disaster area. He announced that the state would provide immediate assistance to the victims. Preliminary reports indicate that thousands of families in the Eastern Cape have been left homeless and about 70 schools and hospitals have been destroyed. The provincial government has asked the central government to declare a state of disaster in its territory.
The flooding of the Matata River was caused by the onset of cold weather with heavy rains and squally winds in South Africa earlier this week.