At least 10 people have been killed after torrential rains triggered severe flooding in northeastern South Africa on Thursday, forcing the closure of the Kruger National Park, one of the country’s most iconic tourist destinations.
Officials said the flooding struck overnight, with the worst impact recorded in Limpopo province, where nine people died in a village close to the Kruger park. A provincial government spokesperson told AFP that nearly 200 residents had been rescued, as emergency services raced to reach communities cut off by rising waters.
Images released by the South African National Defence Force showed military helicopters airlifting stranded residents from treetops after flash floods swept through homes and farmlands.
In neighbouring Mpumalanga province, rescue teams on Thursday recovered the body of a woman who drowned while attempting to cross a swollen river. Provincial authorities said at least 19 people have died in Mpumalanga since heavy rains began in November.
“As at now, the rains are pouring. They do cool off for a few hours, but the rivers are overflowing,” Mpumalanga provincial spokesperson Freddy Ngobe said. He warned that low-lying areas remained highly vulnerable, noting that major dams in the region had already reached full capacity.
South Africa’s weather service has issued its highest-level warning for further heavy rainfall in parts of the country, raising fears of more flooding in the days ahead.
President Cyril Ramaphosa visited Limpopo on Thursday to assess the damage and evaluate the government’s response to the disaster, according to a statement from his office.
The flooding also forced the evacuation of several facilities within Kruger National Park, a flagship conservation area and major draw for wildlife tourism. The park’s communications director, Rey Thakuli, said six bush camps and several tented camps were evacuated as a precaution. Access for day visitors was suspended on Thursday.
Across the border in Mozambique, authorities placed communities on alert as rising water levels inundated roads and homes. Residents in low-lying areas were being evacuated, with local reports indicating an unspecified loss of life. The country’s meteorology department warned that more heavy rain, thunderstorms and strong winds were expected in the coming days, including in the capital, Maputo.
While seasonal rains are typical during the southern hemisphere summer, experts say the intensity of this year’s weather highlights growing climate pressures across the region. Northeastern South Africa has been battered by flooding, while southern parts of the country have faced dry conditions and wildfires.
“Our summer of extremes is but a small foretaste of the climate impacts that could follow if we do not act now,” James Reeler, senior climate specialist at WWF South Africa, said in a statement.
Melissa Enoch
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