South Africa hit by snow and floods: minibus with schoolchildren washed away
Kyiv • UNN
In South Africa, a minibus with schoolchildren was washed away by a flood. Three children were rescued, but the search for others continues. Heavy snowfalls and storms have led to numerous casualties and power outages.
A minibus with schoolchildren was washed away by severe flooding in South Africa, a representative of the Eastern Cape Province government told the BBC, writes UNN.
Details
Guselwa Ranjie said it was unknown how many children were on the bus, but three of them were found alive. Rescue operations were suspended at nightfall and will resume on Wednesday, she added.
In another incident, the bodies of seven people were swept away by floodwaters in the O. R. Tambo area of the province.
South Africa has been hit by heavy snowfall, rain and gale-force winds that have killed five more people in a road accident and left nearly 500,000 homes without power.
The Eastern Cape Province - the birthplace of anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela - has been hardest hit by the ice, as has the KwaZulu-Natal province.
Due to bad weather, some major roads in the two provinces had to be closed to avoid further casualties.
Five people died when a minibus taxi overturned near the coastal city of East London, and the driver said he lost control trying to avoid a falling tree, Eastern Cape Province Transport Department spokesman Unati Bincose told the BBC.
Two people were injured in the accident, he added.
State power company Eskom said nearly 300,000 homes were affected by power outages in 14 towns and villages in the Eastern Cape Province.
Another 196,000 homes in 24 districts of KwaZulu-Natal province also faced power outages, Eskom spokeswoman Daphne Mokwena told the BBC.
KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Transport Minister Siboniso Duma said heavy snowfall had caused trucks to become stuck on roads, leading to huge traffic jams.
Graders were deployed on the most affected roads to clear snow before it reached more than 30 cm high.
Meteorologist Lehlohonolo Tobela also warned of strong winds and large waves at sea, which will complicate the navigation of ships.
Supplement
South Africa regularly experiences snow in the winter months, from June to August, with temperatures dropping below 0°C.
Floods also occur regularly, and scientists say that climate change is leading to more rainfall in the region.
Flash floods and river overflows between April 30 and May 2 caused significant damage to approximately 4,500 homes and injured 18 people.