A devastating winter storm has swept across South Africa, leaving at least 49 people dead, including four school children, as heavy rainfall, snow, and bitterly cold conditions continue to grip the country. The Eastern Cape province has been the hardest hit, with torrential rains and freezing winds causing widespread flooding, landslides, and significant damage to homes, schools, and hospitals.
Among the victims were four children whose school bus was swept away by floodwaters near Mthatha. The bus, which was carrying 13 people, including students, their driver, and a conductor, was found empty after being carried off by the rising waters. Three children managed to survive by clinging to trees for hours before being rescued, while four others remain missing as search and recovery operations continue.
The storm has also severely disrupted power and water supplies in the Eastern Cape, leaving hundreds of thousands of homes without electricity and forcing around 500 people into temporary shelters after their residences were destroyed or submerged. Local authorities have reported that at least 58 schools and 20 hospitals have been damaged, and roads have been closed due to flooding and snow.
President Cyril Ramaphosa extended his condolences to the affected families and communities, describing the situation as tragic and urging South Africans to exercise caution as harsh winter conditions persist. Disaster response teams have been deployed across the region, but officials warn that the death toll may rise as more bodies are discovered and search efforts continue.
This latest disaster comes as South Africa faces increasingly frequent and severe weather events, which experts attribute to the growing impacts of climate change.
