Floods Kill 10 in South Africa as Mozambique Braces for More Rains
Torrential downpours trigger evacuations, park closures, and rescue operations
- Heavy rains in northeastern South Africa have killed at least 10 people
- Kruger National Park evacuated and closed, while nearly 200 residents were rescued
- Mozambique is on alert as authorities evacuate low-lying areas amid ongoing flooding
Heavy rains in northeastern South Africa have claimed at least 10 lives overnight and forced the closure of the Kruger National Park, officials said on Thursday.
The South African Weather Service has issued maximum rainfall warnings for parts of the country, while neighbouring Mozambique remains on high alert after flooding inundated roads and homes.
In Limpopo province, near Kruger, nine people died, and nearly 200 others were rescued, a provincial spokesperson told AFP. Images from the South African National Defence Force showed military helicopters airlifting stranded residents from trees.
In Mpumalanga province, rescuers recovered the body of a woman who drowned trying to cross a river. Since November, at least 19 deaths have been reported in the province due to ongoing floods, provincial spokesperson Freddy Ngobe said. Rivers remain swollen and low-lying areas are at risk, with major dams at full capacity.
President Cyril Ramaphosa visited Limpopo on Thursday to assess the damage and government response.
The Kruger National Park, a key wildlife tourism destination, evacuated six bush camps and several tented camps, suspending day visitor access, according to the park’s communications director Rey Thakuli.
In Mozambique, authorities have begun evacuating residents from flood-prone areas as water levels rise, and further heavy rains with thunderstorms and strong winds are expected, including in the capital, Maputo.
Experts warn that this year’s extreme weather—floods in the northeast and wildfires in the south—is a stark signal of intensifying climate impacts. James Reeler, senior climate specialist at WWF South Africa, said:
“Our summer of extremes is but a small foretaste of the climate impacts that could follow if we do not act now.”
