Eastern Cape floods claim at least three lives

Excessive flooding in the Chris Hani district, Eastern Cape has claimed the lives of at least three people since Friday, 10 February 2023.

Colonel Priscilla Naidu, a police spokesperson, said two men from Comfimbaba drowned in the Qumanco River on Friday.

The men went missing after the bakkie they were travelling in with four other occupants capsised while attempting to cross an overflowing river in Nqabarha village following last week’s floods.

ONE BODY FOUND, ANOTHER STILL MISSING

The 58-year-old male’s body was discovered, but the second person is still missing.

The search for the missing person is ongoing, and an inquest docket has been opened.

THIRD UNKNOWN BODY DISCOVERED

Another body of an unknown woman estimated to be in her 40s was found on Owen Street near the Komani river on Saturday, 11 February around 16:00.

The deceased is not yet identified, and a case of inquest is under investigation.

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“Police are appealing to anyone who may have lost loved ones in the flood, to contact their nearest police station to establish whether the unidentified bodies could be their family members,” said Naidu.

PUBLIC FACILITIES DEMAGED BY FLOODS

Public service facilities in the district have been negatively affected by the floods.

SABC reported that four local municipalities in the district are still recovering from the floods.

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“The accessibility to some of the facilities including schools and clinics has been affected. So we definitely are going to have a pronouncement in terms of the interventions and the response that is expected from government in this regard,” the report quoted Chris Hani District Municipality spokesperson, Bulelwa Ganyaza as saying.

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