Death toll from the severe flooding in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province has risen to 78, with authorities cautioning that it may increase as search and rescue operations continue, according to a statement from a government minister on Thursday evening.
Gatekeepers News reports that the region has experienced heavy rain and snowfall since the weekend due to a significant winter cold front, which has not only caused intense flooding but also disrupted transport and power networks.
Previously, the reported death toll was 49 as of Wednesday.
“The figure has gone to 78 now,” Velenkosini Hlabisa, minister of cooperative governance and traditional affairs, told public broadcaster SABC.
“Even tomorrow, the more water subsides, the more people will be found,” he added.
