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FILE| Damaged house after heavy rains caused flood damage.
President Cyril Ramaphosa says, more than 500 homes have been damaged in the Nkomazi municipality of Mpumalanga. This after torrential rain struck the province in recent days.
Emergency teams in Mpumalanga, Limpopo and KwaZulu-Natal remain on high alert. At least 31 people have lost their lives.
Families have been displaced from their homes. This as roads and bridges washed away, and critical infrastructure being severely damaged, leaving some communities cut off and without basic services.
The heavy rains continues to wreck havoc across the country.
Addressing the media in Mpumalanga, President Ramaphosa says, government needs to do more to manage climate change and disasters, in an effort to save lives and infrastructure.
Over the weekend, government declared a national disaster after widespread flooding in various parts of the country.
Head of the National Disaster Management Centre, Dr. Elias Sithole, says damage assessments are still underway and further updates will be provided as search, rescue and relief operations continue in the affected areas.
Video | Flood Crisis | Mpumalanga floods leave 30 dead, over 500 homes destroyed.
Kgetsa Mothose from the South African Red Cross Society (SARCS) says schools in some parts of Mpumalanga have also been affected, while the tourism sector faces challenges following the severe flooding.
This as the Mpumalanga government says it will need at least R2 billion to repair the damaged infrastructure.
The search is still in for the bodies of the two teenage boys, who drowned in a river at Mashishimale village outside Phalaborwa in Limpopo.
The operation resumed on Monday morning after being suspended on Sunday night due to poor visibility and dangerous conditions.
Video | Search for missing teenagers continues after Limpopo floods.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1xJ5UkFxec
The boys, aged 15 and 17, were swept away by the overflowing Selati River as water levels rose rapidly following heavy rainfall.
This while, provinces across the country are counting the cost of widespread flooding, as authorities and affected communities hope for better weather conditions to allow recovery and relief efforts to continue safely.
Phalaborwa is also experiencing fuel shortages, as residents report that fuel delivery trucks are unable to access the area due to road closures caused by flooding.
Motorists have been left stranded, while businesses and essential services are beginning to feel the strain as supplies run low.
Heavy rainfall persists, with the risk of flash floods continuing to threaten several provinces, prompting authorities to urge residents to remain cautious and avoid flooded roads.
KZN residents counting costs following severe flooding
Residents of Jozini in northern KwaZulu-Natal, are counting the cost after severe flooding, that left communities stranded, displaced and devastated.
Torrential rainfall caused rivers to burst their banks, washing away access roads and inundating homes.
Emergency services have since moved into the area to assess the full extent of the damage and to coordinate relief efforts.
These families relived the fear after rising waters drove them to higher grounds, where they now anxiously wait for assistance.
