Death toll in the Eastern Cape rises to 78 after record-breaking rain, South Africa
At least 78 people have died in severe flooding across South Africa’s Eastern Cape province, following a cold front that struck the region on June 7, 2025. Emergency crews remain active as of June 13, with the death toll expected to rise.
The Efata Bridge in Mthata after receding floodwaters on June 13, 2025. Credit: South Africa Presidency
The death toll from severe flooding in South Africa’s Eastern Cape has climbed to 78, following an extreme weather front that hit the region on June 7. Emergency crews are still searching for survivors as of Friday, June 13, and authorities say the number could grow as rescue operations continue.
Flooding began on June 10 following intense rainfall that started the previous day. Mthatha, the hardest-hit area in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province, recorded 129 mm (5.1 inches) of rain between June 9 and 10.
At the Elliot weather station in the same province, 160 mm (6.3 inches) of rain was measured over the same 24-hour period, which is more than quadruple the previous local record set in 1994.
Rescue efforts in the Eastern Cape faced major delays in the initial hours after the floods, largely due to the lack of specialized teams on the ground.
The province, among South Africa’s poorest and home to about 7.2 million people, had no immediate access to trained divers or K-9 units. Officials say the only available rescue helicopter had to be dispatched from over 500 km (310 miles) away.
The floods have damaged over 3 000 homes so far, along with 127 schools and 20 health facilities. More than 1 000 people are displaced and are now in ad-hoc shelters and community halls.
With the rain easing and floodwaters receding, officials say the worst-hit areas were low-lying riverbanks where many poor communities lived in informal housing.
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