In a significant response to a tragic incident, South Africa has dispatched a rescue team to assist in the recovery operations after a local politician was swept away by floodwaters during a visit to neighboring Mozambique. The affected politician, Andile Mngwevu, serves as a councillor in the Ekurhuleni municipality, situated east of Johannesburg.
Officials report that Mngwevu and four other individuals encountered peril when their vehicle was caught in flooding while traveling through Gaza province in Mozambique. As of now, only one passenger has been located, with the status and whereabouts of the remaining occupants still unconfirmed, as stated by the municipality.
Impact of flooding in South Africa and Mozambique
The severe flooding has wreaked havoc across both nations, prompting Mozambican President Daniel Chapo to cancel his planned attendance at the World Economic Forum in Davos. In a show of solidarity, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the deployment of two helicopters to assist Mozambique. These helicopters will remain in operation for several days to aid in alleviating the ongoing crisis.
The flooding in Mozambique has already caused substantial damage to infrastructure and has tragically resulted in the loss of over 100 lives. A report from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs highlighted that approximately 400,000 individuals have been adversely affected. Meanwhile, South Africa is grappling with its own challenges, having reported more than 30 fatalities across two provinces since November.
Ongoing challenges and weather forecasts
As a precautionary measure, Mozambique has declared a red alert in response to the catastrophic flooding, while South Africa has announced a national disaster in light of the situation. The onset of the rainy season in central and northern Mozambique has raised concerns, with forecasts indicating further heavy rainfall across extensive regions of the country, which is now entering its annual cyclone season.
“The status and whereabouts of the other occupants remain unconfirmed,” the municipality stated.