Unrelenting Waters: Limpopo Flood Death Toll Climbs to 19 as Search Continues

The grim accounting of loss in flood-ravaged Limpopo continues to grow. Provincial authorities confirmed on Wednesday that the death toll has risen to 19 after the discovery of another body in Phalaborwa. This latest fatality is linked to the devastating heavy rains that have battered the region, sweeping away lives, homes, and infrastructure.

The body is believed to be that of one of two teenagersaged 15 and 17who drowned while swimming in the swollen Selati River at Mashishimale village on Monday. Their tragedy brings the total number of people still missing due to the floods to six, as search operations press on across multiple parts of the province.

A Plea for Caution Amidst Grief

Limpopo MEC for Cooperative Governance, Basikopo Makamu, expressed profound sadness and extended condolences to the bereaved families. His message, however, carried a renewed and urgent warning. “We continue to strongly caution against engaging in risky behaviours such as swimming and crossing swollen rivers and streams during this period,” he stressed, urging communities to avoid low-lying areas and unnecessary travel during heavy rains.

The call underscores a desperate official effort to prevent further loss, as the human instinct to return to normalcy clashes with the persistent danger of the waters.

Relief Efforts and Widespread Damage

Behind the rising death toll lies a landscape of widespread destruction. Provincial and district disaster management centres are coordinating the distribution of relief materials and temporary shelter for displaced families. MEC Makamu and other officials are conducting oversight visits in the worst-hit areas, particularly in the Mopani and Vhembe districts, to assess the damage firsthand.

The severe weathera mix of torrential rain, hail, strong winds, and floodinghas left a deep scar beyond the loss of life. Homes, roads, schools, health centres, agricultural land, and the environment have all sustained serious damage, setting the stage for a long and costly recovery.

As the waters slowly recede, the true extent of the tragedy is still coming into focus. For Limpopo’s communities, the immediate task remains a somber one: accounting for the missing, mourning the found, and bracing for the arduous work of rebuilding that lies ahead.

{Source: Citizen}

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