South Africa floods: Houses submerged, vehicles swept away; death toll rises to 78

South Africa's Eastern Cape province is experiencing massive floods, with the death toll reaching 78 as of Thursday. The search and rescue operations continue for the fourth day.

Authorities said that they expect the toll to rise further.Videos and images of the floods have gone viral on social media, showing several houses submerged and vehicles swept away.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is scheduled to visit the affected areas on Friday. His office confirmed that he will travel to the town of Mthatha in the Eastern Cape, the region hit hardest when the floods began in the early hours of Tuesday.Ramaphosa’s visit comes amid growing public criticism over the government’s slow response to the disaster. The floods were triggered by extreme weather conditions, including heavy rain, strong winds and even snow in some areas. Weather experts had warned of severe conditions last week.The head of the provincial government said rescue efforts were “paralysed” during the first few hours after the floods due to a lack of resources such as specialized search and rescue teams, divers and K-9 dog units.

Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane said the province, home to 7.2 million people, has just one official rescue helicopter, which had to be brought in from another city more than 500 kilometers away.The floods struck in the early morning hours, catching many residents off guard. Several victims were washed away along with parts of their homes and debris. Authorities said they expect more bodies to be recovered as rescue teams continue to search the floodwaters.

Several people are still missing and many children are among the dead.Zinathi Vuso, a resident of Mthatha, said, “I need psychological help because I saw people dying in front of me. They were being dragged by the water along with the corrugated iron.""Others tried to hold on or climb onto something, but it would break, and they ended up dead. That is why you’re still seeing people being recovered, and others are yet to be found,” she added.Cooperative governance and traditional affairs minister Velenkosini Hlabisa said on national broadcaster SABC late Thursday that authorities are urging residents to report missing persons to help rescuers get a better idea of how many people they are still searching for.“We are in a crisis. A real disaster,” Hlabisa said. “The more the water subsides, the more people will be found.”