At least 82 killed in storms, flooding across the country
At 82 people have lost their lives during the recent summer rain and flooding across the country, the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs has announced.
Spokesperson Lungi Mtshali says the fatalities were mostly as a result of drownings and lighting strikes.
The Department says while the rain has brought relief to the drought-stricken parts of the country, especially the Eastern Cape, it also came with dangerous conditions.
Disaster teams across the country have been dispatched to various parts of the country and are working around the clock to assist communities.
Eastern Cape
Eight people drowned in recent floods in the Eastern Cape, including a K9 rescue officer who died in the line of duty.
Three of the drownings were in the Amathole Districts Municipality.
Meanwhile, the Chris Hani District Municipality has been declared a disaster area following heavy rains that damaged 134 properties and left 50 families homeless.
Strong winds, heavy rains and severe thunderstorms hit the District Municipality between 13 December 2021- 8 January 2022.
Eastern Cape schools
Thousands of pupils might not be able to attend a school tomorrow when the 2022 academic year starts due to the damage to dozens of schools in the province.
The spokesperson for the provincial Department of Education Malibongwe Mtima says the damage at 57 schools has already been assessed, with the cost estimated to be R900 million.
He says more schools need to be assessed on the list that is still growing as reports come in.
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