South Africa has declared a national state of disaster as torrential rains and severe storms claim at least 10 lives across six provinces.
The extreme weather began on May 4, battering the Western Cape, Free State, and other regions with floods, high winds, and snowfall.
This official declaration allows the national government to unlock emergency funds and mobilize critical resources to support the devastated communities.
Informal settlements have borne the brunt of the crisis, with over 10,000 structures damaged by the rising waters around Cape Town.
Educational activities have ground to a halt as provincial officials ordered the temporary closure of schools to ensure student safety.
Public access to portions of the iconic Table Mountain tourist site remains restricted due to the hazardous conditions and high winds.
President Cyril Ramaphosa expressed profound grief over the fatalities, noting that winter in the Southern Hemisphere is off to a lethal start.
The President emphasized that authorities are leveraging scientific data to better anticipate and react to these increasingly volatile weather events.
Climate experts observe that severe flooding is intensifying across Southern Africa, pointing to a pattern of extreme and erratic rainfall.
This current catastrophe follows a separate national disaster in January, where flooding killed 30 people and demolished vital infrastructure in the north.
The region continues to reel as Mozambique and Zimbabwe also report their worst flooding cycles in decades, straining local recovery efforts.