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Severe flooding caused by heavy overnight rainfall in northeastern South Africa has left at least 10 people dead and led to the temporary closure of the Kruger National Park.
Authorities on Thursday said nine people lost their lives in a village in Limpopo province, close to the Kruger Park, while nearly 200 residents were rescued after rising waters submerged homes and roads.
According to a statement from the President’s office, President Cyril Ramaphosa visited Limpopo to assess the scale of the damage and evaluate the government’s emergency response.
In neighbouring Mpumalanga province, rescue teams recovered the body of a woman who drowned while attempting to cross a river. Provincial officials said the death brought the total to at least 19 fatalities recorded in the province since heavy rains began in November.
Officials warned that the situation remained dangerous as rainfall continued intermittently, causing rivers to overflow and placing low-lying communities at risk, particularly given that several major dams were already at full capacity.
The flooding also forced the evacuation of six bush camps and several tented camps within the Kruger National Park. Authorities have suspended day-visitor access to the park as a precaution.
Across the border in Mozambique, emergency services began relocating residents from flood-prone areas due to reports of rising water levels and unconfirmed casualties. The country’s meteorological agency has warned that further heavy rainfall, thunderstorms and strong winds are expected in the coming days, including in the capital, Maputo.
