Severe flooding hits Limpopo and Mpumalanga, South Africa
Another round of heavy rainfall has caused deadly flooding in the South African provinces of Limpopo, bordering Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique, and Mpumalanga, bordering the nations of Swaziland and Mozambique. At least 7 people have lost their lives.
The South African Weather Service warned of a risk of flash floods in Limpopo, Mpumalanga, and Gauteng after heavy rains started affecting the region on January 5, 2017.
On the same day, 6 people were rescued by helicopters from flood waters in Limpopo. However, the swollen Limpopo River near Beitbridge managed to claim the lives of 5 people, the police said.
#sapsLIM Limpopo #SAPS #SearchAndRescue #Airwing saved 6 people from rivers since Thursday after heavy rains SD pic.twitter.com/nF6kL8ayv2
— SA Police Service (@SAPoliceService) January 8, 2017
#sapsHINT #SafetyTips on precautions to take with heavy rainfall that may cause possible flash floods. NP https://t.co/vrZjSrfUJV pic.twitter.com/PWOmPOJtFY
— SA Police Service (@SAPoliceService) January 7, 2017
The bodies of two men were found in near Beitbridge, while two women and three girls, aged between six and 10, were rescued in the same area on Thursday and Friday, said provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo. "It is suspected that they attempted to enter the country illegally when they became trapped by the rising river," News24 reported.
The bodies of three boys were found in ditches filled with water in the Giyani and Mankweng areas.
On January 7, two people died in flash floods in Kwaggafontein, Mpumalanga province.
#sapsMP Taxi stranded during flood in Kwaggafontein this a.m. One passenger and Fire & Rescue member drowned. Driver rescued. NP pic.twitter.com/yHgAwLlSr5
— SA Police Service (@SAPoliceService) January 7, 2017
South African Police Service said on twitter that a taxi became stranded crossing the river. While the driver was rescued, one passenger and one Fire and Rescue member drowned.
South-central Africa, 72 hours of rainfall accumulation ending 12:00 UTC on January 10, 2017. Credit: NASA/JAXA GPM
As the rains are expected to continue, police warned people to be extremely careful when crossing rivers or streams, whether by foot or in a vehicle and urged parents not to allow their children to swim in ditches or holes filled with rainwater.
This is the second round of flooding to hit Limpopo since December 22 when at least 25 houses collapsed after heavy rains hit several parts of the province. More than 100 households have reportedly been affected throughout the province, with the Maruleng, Vhembe, Makhado and Mopani municipalities among the hardest hit.
Featured image credit: South African Police
If you value what we do here, create your ad-free account and support our journalism.
Your support makes a difference
Dear valued reader,
We hope that our website has been a valuable resource for you.
The reality is that it takes a lot of time, effort, and resources to maintain and grow this website. We rely on the support of readers like you to keep providing high-quality content.
If you have found our website to be helpful, please consider making a contribution to help us continue to bring you the information you need. Your support means the world to us and helps us to keep doing what we love.
Support us by choosing your support level – Silver, Gold or Platinum.
Other support options include Patreon pledges, one-off payments using PayPal and purchasing products from our webshop.
Thank you for your consideration. Your support is greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Teo Blašković
Commenting rules and guidelines
We value the thoughts and opinions of our readers and welcome healthy discussions on our website. In order to maintain a respectful and positive community, we ask that all commenters follow these rules:
We reserve the right to remove any comments that violate these rules. By commenting on our website, you agree to abide by these guidelines. Thank you for helping to create a positive and welcoming environment for all.