South Africa declares a national disaster over flooding and severe weather
-
Click here to listen to this article - Share via
- South Africa declared a national disaster Sunday after floods killed at least 30 people, damaged thousands of homes, and washed away roads and bridges in northern provinces.
- More than 100 people have died across three countries since late November as heavy rains devastated the region, with rescue operations continuing.
- Kruger National Park was set to reopen after it evacuated 300 tourists and staffers, while Limpopo province reported $240 million in damage.
CAPE TOWN, South Africa — South Africa declared a national disaster Sunday over torrential rains and floods that have killed at least 30 people in the country’s north, damaged thousands of homes and washed away roads and bridges.
The declaration, made by the head of the National Disaster Management Center, allows the government to coordinate the disaster response.
For the record:
11:31 a.m. Jan. 22, 2026An earlier version of this article misstated the area of Kruger National Park. It is about 7,500 square miles.
The worst toll is in the northern provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga, where the fatalities occurred. At least three other provinces were affected by the severe weather, said the Ministry of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs.
Parts of South Africa and neighboring Mozambique and Zimbabwe have experienced heavy rains for weeks. That resulted in severe flooding in central and southern Mozambique and northern South Africa. More than 100 people have died in the three countries since the rains began late last year.
The floods in northern South Africa caused the closure of the Kruger National Park and the evacuation of hundreds of tourists and staff members from flooded camps to other parts of the park.
The premier of Limpopo province said the weather had caused around $240 million in damage in her province, with many houses and buildings washed away.
More than 100 people died in floods last year in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province in the south of the country, while more than 400 died in flooding in the eastern province of KwaZulu-Natal in 2022.
Rescue teams in South Africa continued to search for four people, including 5-year-old Siyanda Baloyi, believed to have been swept away when his home in Limpopo was flooded Thursday.
Authorities also said Sunday that Andile Mngwevu, a government official in South Africa’s Ekurhuleni municipality, east of Johannesburg, was missing after a vehicle he was traveling in was swept away by floods in Mozambique. The other passengers in the vehicle were also missing.
Meanwhile, South Africa’s renowned Kruger National Park was set to reopen for visitors after heavy flooding forced its closure and prompted the evacuation of more than 300 tourists and staff members.
The park, one the biggest game reserves in the world, covering about 7,500 square miles bordering Mozambique and Zimbabwe, suffered extensive damage as heavy rain devastated the Mpumalanga and Limpopo provinces and killed more than 20 people.
More From the Los Angeles Times
Podcasts
Taped Jan 8, 2026, a year after the Eaton Fire, this episode features Ondi Timoner. After losing her home, she began documenting the displacement and financial struggles of her neighbors, joining My Tribe Rise to help Altadena rebuild and recover.
Attorney Frank Carson defended the accused for decades. Framed for murder and later acquitted, a star witness admitted he lied. Stanislaus County paid $22.5M to settle his estate’s lawsuit.
Hear from the winner of the 1968 Caltech vs MIT electric car race. But it’s not all fresh air: smog devastates communities of color, and the Trump administration may pull the plug on California’s ability to clear its own air.
