Limpopo floods claim 19 lives as families search for missing loved ones
Communities in Limpopo are reeling after yet another life is claimed by relentless flooding, raising the death toll to 19 and leaving families desperate for answers about missing loved ones.
Image: Supplied
The discovery of another male body in the Ba-Phalaborwa area has brought the death toll from recent severe weather in Limpopo to 19, authorities said Wednesday.
The body is believed to be linked to recent drowning incidents caused by heavy rainfall across the province.
The announcement follows the drowning of two boys, aged 15 and 17, in the Selati River at Mashishimale village on Monday, which contributed to a total of six missing persons amid the floods.
Limpopo MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs (CoGHSTA), Basikopo Makamu, said preliminary confirmation indicates that the recovered body is likely one of the two boys swept away at Mashishimale.
“Search and rescue operations continue in the hardest-hit areas, including Tshwinga in Vhembe District, and Mbaula and Ba-Phalaborwa in Mopani,” Makamu said.
Expressing his condolences, Makamu urged communities to avoid risky activities such as swimming or crossing swollen rivers, and to refrain from unnecessary travel during heavy rains.
Provincial and district management centres are coordinating relief efforts, providing temporary shelter and distributing essential materials to displaced families.
“The discovery of the body in Ba-Phalaborwa increases the number of fatalities in the province to 19,” Makamu said.
The province has been battered by severe weather, including heavy rainfall, thunderstorms with hail, strong winds, and flooding, affecting Mopani, Vhembe, Waterberg, and parts of Sekhukhune.
Devastating scenes in Limpopo after heavy rains led to widespread flooding, impacting communities and infrastructure.
Image: Office of the Premier: Limpopo Provincial Government/ Facebook
Beyond the tragic loss of life, the storms have caused significant damage to homes, roads, schools, health facilities, agriculture, and the environment.
Makamu said officials continue oversight visits to the worst-affected areas to assess conditions on the ground. He also highlighted the involvement of K9 units and swift-water divers in the ongoing search for missing persons.
“The Department of CoGHSTA and Disaster Management officials are working closely with Social Development, SAPS, Emergency Management Services, and municipalities to preserve lives and human dignity during this rainy season,” he said.
Meanwhile, Limpopo and Mpumalanga have been recently declared national disaster zones by President Cyril Ramaphosa under Section 23 of the Disaster Management Act of 2002, following widespread flooding and severe weather across several provinces.
The declaration was issued by Dr Elias Sithole, head of the National Disaster Management Centre, in consultation with provincial disaster management authorities.
Severe storms have also affected KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, and the North West, causing fatalities, displacement, infrastructure damage, disruptions to schooling and agriculture, and closures in parts of Kruger National Park.
Mpumalanga has recorded 20 deaths, with over 1,300 homes, roads, and public facilities damaged.
In Limpopo, the death toll now stands at 19.
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