Death Toll from Eastern Cape Floods Rises to 86 as South African Rescue Efforts Continue

A police rescue officer searches for missing people of this week's floods in Mthatha, South Africa, Friday, June 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)ASSOCIATED PR

The death toll from devastating floods in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province has risen to 86, according to the country’s Minister of Police, Senzo Mchunu. Rescue operations have been underway since Tuesday, when flash floods swept through communities in and around the town of Mthatha in the early morning hours.

Police and emergency teams continue to recover bodies and search for those still missing. Mchunu, who addressed rescue workers on Saturday, emphasized that the disaster was not caused by any man-made action, refuting social media claims that the flooding was due to the intentional opening of sluice gates at the nearby Mthatha Dam. He clarified that the dam does not have any sluice gates capable of releasing water in such a manner.

Flood-damaged housing in Mthatha, South Africa, Friday, June 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)ASSOCIATED PRESS

President Cyril Ramaphosa visited Mthatha on Friday and announced that authorities would investigate potential issues with the dam, although he also attributed the flooding to the growing impact of climate change. A wall of water estimated to be 3 to 4 meters (10 to 13 feet) high swept through neighborhoods, washing away structures and trapping residents inside their homes.

The floods, which followed weather warnings of an extreme cold front and heavy rainfall, took many by surprise. Vulnerable communities, particularly those in informal settlements along riverbanks, were hardest hit. The Eastern Cape is among the poorest regions in South Africa, and many have criticized the response of authorities and the deteriorating infrastructure that may have worsened the disaster's impact.

Forensic workers retrieve bodies of a mother and three daughters from inside a one room house after floods swept through the area in Mthatha, South Africa, Thursday, June 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)ASSOCIATED PRESS

Rescue teams continue to search submerged areas and collapsed buildings. On Saturday, one of the recovered bodies was identified as a boy estimated to be around 13 or 14 years old. Officials have confirmed that many children are among the deceased, although an exact count has not yet been released. Some victims were found up to two kilometers (1.2 miles) from their homes, swept away by the floodwaters.

A man with a child look at a home submerged in floodwater, in Mthatha, South Africa, Tuesday, June 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Hoseya Jubase)ASSOCIATED PRESS

In 2022, a similar climate-linked disaster struck the coastal city of Durban, claiming over 400 lives. President Ramaphosa warned that such weather-related events are becoming more frequent and more severe due to climate change, particularly in vulnerable coastal and rural regions.

Authorities expect the death toll to rise further as the search continues.