The South African government has declared a state of national disaster after severe weather conditions caused deadly floods in various parts of the country, Bloomberg reported on Sunday (19).
“Heavy rains and winds, lightning, and flooding have resulted in loss of life, significant damage to infrastructure and property, environmental degradation, and displacement of communities,” the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) said in a statement on Sunday.
The affected areas include the provinces of Limpopo, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, and North West, where schools and farmers have had their activities disrupted.
“After consultations with various state agencies, the head of the National Disaster Management Center (NDMC) has classified the situation as a national disaster,” the statement added.
The classification follows a comprehensive assessment of adverse weather conditions since late November and visits by President Cyril Ramaphosa to Limpopo province on January 15 and Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Velenkosini Hlabisa to Mpumalanga two days later.
All state agencies are required to strengthen disaster management systems, implement contingency measures, submit progress reports to the NDMC, and ensure a coordinated, multisectoral approach to prevention, mitigation, relief, and rehabilitation, according to the government.
Kruger Park reopens to day visitors
Some parts of the iconic Kruger National Park have also been closed.
However, South African National Parks (SANParks) announced on Sunday that day visits to Kruger Park will resume on Monday as the weather improves—but the northern part of the reserve remains inaccessible as several roads and bridges have been destroyed. These areas will remain closed until it is safe to reopen them, the agency said in a statement.
“SANParks will continue to monitor conditions closely and provide updates as necessary,” the statement said, adding that “entry to the southern region of the park will be allowed through the Paul Kruger, Numbi, Malelane, and Phabeni gates.”
Deadly floods led to the park’s closure after extreme rains killed dozens of people in the northeast of the country and in neighboring Mozambique, where rivers overflowed, leaving communities isolated and closing the gas-rich country’s main north-south highway.
The South African Weather Service issued its highest weather alert on January 15 for the first time in nearly four years.
