Ramaphosa attributes deadly south African floods to climate change as death toll climbs to 78

By Abbas

At least 78 people have been confirmed dead following devastating floods in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province, with President Cyril Ramaphosa blaming the disaster on the growing impacts of climate change.

The unprecedented flooding swept through the impoverished region, submerging homes, damaging infrastructure, and leaving thousands of residents homeless and without access to basic services.

President Ramaphosa visited the hardest-hit areas on Friday, including the city of Mthatha, where he met with survivors and assessed the extensive damage.

The floods, which struck during the night, caught many residents off guard, trapping families in their homes.

Rescue teams have been working tirelessly, going door to door in search of survivors and retrieving bodies from the debris.

Some victims managed to escape by climbing onto rooftops, waiting hours for emergency assistance.

Tragically, a school bus was swept away in the floodwaters, killing at least six children and three adults. Four children remain missing.

Ramaphosa also spoke with a grieving woman who lost her mother and two young nephews, listening solemnly as she recounted her ordeal through tears.

“This is a catastrophic disaster which is caused by climate change,” Ramaphosa stated, noting that floodwaters in some areas reached more than four metres high.

He emphasized that the Eastern Cape typically experiences snow and cold weather during winter, but the current floods reflect the alarming shifts in climate patterns.

According to the Green Climate Fund, South Africa is highly vulnerable to climate variability, which is now manifesting in more frequent and severe weather events.

In the Mthatha area alone, at least 3,500 households have been affected. The South African Red Cross Society has mobilized aid to the region, with many displaced residents now sheltering in community halls.

AFP reporters on the ground witnessed the somber recovery of four bodies, including children, from a destroyed one-room house. Locals stood nearby, sobbing as rescue workers cleared the wreckage.

Ali Sablay, spokesperson for the Gift of the Givers Foundation, warned that the number of affected individuals could rise sharply.

He noted that many homes are structurally unstable and may collapse, while food supplies have been contaminated, prompting urgent calls for evacuation and relief.

Local authorities reported damage to at least 20 health facilities and 58 schools across the province.

With the full extent of the destruction still being assessed, officials fear the death toll may increase further.

The disaster serves as a stark reminder of the real and growing threat posed by climate change to vulnerable communities.