School children among the 49 victims of the floods in South Africa

School children among the 49 victims of the floods in South Africa

At least 49 people have died after flooding in South Africa, including children whose school bus was carried away during the extreme weather, the authorities report.

extreme weather ensures massive damage

An intensive cold front has captured parts of South Africa and brought rain and snow, which led to devastating floods. In the Eastern Cape, one of the most affected provinces, many people were driven out of their houses, which led to power failures and road closures, the provincial authority announced.

school bus in floods torn

On Wednesday, the State Radio Sabc reported that a school bus was flushed onto a river in the village of Decoligny on Tuesday morning in the village of Decoligny. According to the provincial government, there were 13 people, including students, the driver and his assistant, on the bus.

sad news from the government

"Unfortunately, it was confirmed that four of these students died together with the driver and the passenger of the minibus," said the Premier of the Eastern Cape, Lubabalo Oscar Mabuyane, in a press conference on Wednesday afternoon. Four other people are still missing, and the rescue teams are still looking for other victims.

rescue campaigns and state explanations

The office of President Cyril Ramaphosa explained in an earlier communication that three children were saved from the vehicle. This happened during a message of condolences to the grieving families.

frequent floods in South Africa

South Africa has always struggled with floods in recent years, some of them were fatal. In 2022, floods caused by heavy rains in Durban and the province of Kwazulu-Natal led to 400 deaths .