South Africa Floods: Schoolchildren Found After Bus Tragedy
Eastern Cape, South Africa, reels from catastrophic floods, where at least 49 lives have been lost, including schoolchildren. A school bus tragedy claimed the lives of four children, the driver, and the conductor, while rescue teams desperately search for others—a grim reminder of the devastation. widespread power outages, affecting nearly 500,000 homes, compound the crisis as icy conditions cripple the region. The floods in South Africa are a heartbreaking event that has left its residents reeling. News Directory 3 is on the scene. With rescue efforts ongoing and authorities assessing the long-term impact, what further challenges await this embattled community? Discover what’s next…
South Africa Floods: Eastern Cape Death Toll Climbs
Updated June 11, 2025
Devastating floods in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province have claimed at least 49 lives amid severe weather conditions, including torrential rain and heavy snowfall.Provincial Premier Oscar Mabuyane described the situation as dire, with the death toll rising rapidly.
Among the fatalities are four children, a driver, and a conductor who were aboard a school bus swept away while crossing a bridge in Mthatha on Tuesday. Rescue teams are still searching for four additional children who were also on the bus, which was later found along a riverbank.
Mabuyane visited Decoligny, near Mthatha, on Wednesday to assess the ongoing rescue operations and meet with displaced residents. Hundreds have been forced into temporary shelters due to the flooding.
The severe weather has also caused widespread power outages, affecting nearly 500,000 homes as Tuesday.Eskom, the state-owned power provider, is working to restore electricity.President Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed his condolences and urged citizens to exercise caution during the harsh winter conditions.
KwaZulu-Natal province is also heavily affected by the icy conditions, leading to the closure of major roads in both provinces to prevent further incidents. The Eastern Cape, the birthplace of Nelson Mandela, is the hardest-hit area.
What’s next
Authorities are focused on continuing search and rescue operations, providing aid to displaced residents, and restoring power to affected areas. The long-term impact of the flooding and severe weather on infrastructure and communities is still being assessed.