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Southern Africa Floods Kill Over 200 as South Africa Declares National Emergency

Forecasts of further downpours raise the risk of a worsening humanitarian crisis.

Overview

  • South Africa declared a national state of emergency on Sunday, with at least 31 deaths reported in Limpopo and Mpumalanga and search-and-rescue operations ongoing.
  • Mozambique remains the worst affected, with authorities reporting 103 deaths since late December and aid groups estimating more than 200,000 people affected and over 230,000 displaced.
  • Zimbabwe’s civil protection agency reports roughly 70 deaths, the destruction of more than 1,000 buildings, and extensive damage to roads and bridges.
  • More than 600 tourists and staff were evacuated from Kruger National Park, many by helicopter, and sections of the park remain closed to day visitors.
  • Damage costs are mounting, with Limpopo estimating repairs in the hundreds of millions of euros as meteorological services maintain red alerts for additional heavy rain.