PRETORIA, South Africa — South Africa on Sunday declared a national disaster following weeks of heavy rains and storms that have killed dozens, destroyed homes, and displaced thousands across the region, with neighbouring Mozambique bearing a severe humanitarian toll.
The flooding has claimed more than 30 lives in South Africa’s northeastern Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces, according to authorities, as swollen rivers burst their banks and submerged entire communities.
“I classify the disaster as a national disaster,” said Elias Sithole, head of South Africa’s National Disaster Management Centre, in a statement on Sunday.
Emergency teams continued search and recovery operations through the weekend, though officials reported that floodwaters had begun to recede in some areas.
One of the hardest-hit sites was Kruger National Park, which was forced to close and evacuate visitors on Thursday after roads and bridges were cut off by rising waters. South African National Parks said day visits would resume from Monday, but urged tourists to “exercise caution” as recovery efforts continue.
Across the border in Mozambique, the floods triggered a humanitarian emergency, displacing tens of thousands and overwhelming rescue services.
Entire neighbourhoods were submerged in several regions, particularly in Gaza province north of Maputo, forcing residents to seek refuge on rooftops and in trees as waters rose rapidly.
At least eight people have died in Mozambique since December 21, according to official figures released on Friday, though authorities warned the toll is likely to rise as more people remain unaccounted for.
In one dramatic incident, a woman gave birth on a rooftop while waiting for rescue. Gaza province resident Chauna Macuacua told AFP that her sister-in-law delivered a baby while the family sheltered from floodwaters.
“We’ve been here for four days. My nephew was born yesterday around 11 PM, and we still haven’t had any rescue or assistance for the baby and mother,” she said.
Civil society groups warned that the situation on the ground remains dire. Wilker Dias, director of Plataforma Decide, said reports of missing persons were continuing to emerge.
“I think the numbers of dead will increase in the next hours,” Dias said.
South Africa has also dispatched rescue teams to southern Mozambique after a vehicle carrying five members of a South African mayoral delegation was swept away by floodwaters in Chókwè, about 200 kilometres north of Maputo.
According to the Mozambican government, more than 173,000 people have been affected nationwide by the flooding, straining shelters, health services, and food supplies.
