President Cyril Ramaphosa Visits Flood-Stricken Areas in South Africa

President Cyril Ramaphosa visited Eastern Cape flood sites where 78 people have died, with deaths expected to rise. Criticism has emerged regarding the government’s response due to a lack of resources. The floods have devastated the area, leaving many children among the casualties, while ongoing searches continue for missing individuals.

CAPE TOWN, South Africa — In a stark reminder of nature’s fury, President Cyril Ramaphosa visited the flood-ravaged region in the southeastern part of the country, where at least 78 lives have been lost. As the grim search for additional victims entered its fourth day on Friday, authorities indicated that the death toll is likely to climb even further.

Ramaphosa made his way to Mthatha in the Eastern Cape province, ground zero for the devastating floods that struck in the early hours of Tuesday, leaving destruction in their wake. He participated in a briefing by officials from the National Disaster Management Center and traveled to a site where a school bus was swept away in the floodwaters, killing six students, their driver, and another adult. Four additional children remain unaccounted for.

The president’s visit drew attention to criticisms about the government’s disaster response to this calamity. The extreme weather conditions that unleashed the floods—heavy rains, gusty winds, and snow—had been forecasted the week prior. However, local authorities struggled to mount an immediate rescue operation.

Oscar Mabuyane, the Premier of Eastern Cape, lamented that the province’s response was “paralyzed” in the initial hours of the disaster. He noted a severe lack of necessary resources including specialized search and rescue teams, as well as divers and K-9 units in an area already grappling with poverty. The province, home to about 7.2 million residents, possesses only one official rescue helicopter, which had to be dispatched from over 300 miles away.

In defense of the government’s efforts, Ramaphosa expressed sorrow over the fatalities, stating, “it could have been much worse,” a sentiment that may leave many questioning the adequacy of emergency preparedness. Slumbering residents awoke to find raging waters sweeping away parts of their homes, with countless individuals trapped inside.

As floodwaters recede and rains have ceased, authorities now anticipate discovering more victims as searches continue through the wreckage of homes and other structures. This is a particularly heartbreaking situation, with many of the deceased being children.

“I need psychological help because I saw people dying in front of me,” reflected Mthatha resident Zinathi Vuso, reliving the nightmare. “The water dragged them along with the corrugated iron. Others tried to hold or climb onto something, but it would break, leading to their deaths. That is why you are seeing people still being recovered and others yet to be found.”

Search teams are uncovering bodies as far as two kilometers from the disaster zone. Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs has urged residents to report those missing, stating it would aid rescue efforts in determining the number of individuals still sought.

“We are in a crisis. A real disaster,” Hlabisa remarked in an interview on national broadcaster SABC. He added, “The more the water subsides, the more people will be found.”

Coastal regions in South Africa remain susceptible to extreme weather from the Indian Ocean and Southern Ocean, with previous flooding in 2022 resulting in over 400 casualties in Durban alone. This week, the most vulnerable victims in the Eastern Cape were those residing on flood plains and in informal housing, suffering the brunt of the disaster.

The ongoing flood crisis in South Africa’s Eastern Cape has resulted in significant loss of life, with President Ramaphosa addressing the situation amidst criticism of response efforts. The search continues for missing individuals, particularly children, as communities deal with the devastation left behind. Urgent work is being done to recover the deceased, and authorities highlight the need for improved emergency resources in impoverished areas to better prepare for such disasters in the future.

Original Source: www.wral.com