South Africa's Eastern Cape holds Day of Mourning as flood death toll reaches 92

People gather to mourn the victims of floods in Mthatha, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa, on June 19, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

South Africa's Eastern Cape Province observed a provincial Day of Mourning on Thursday to honor the victims of last week's devastating floods, with the death toll rising to 92.

The memorial service, held at King Sabatha Dalindyebo Technical and Vocational Education and Training College in Mthatha, brought together government officials and community members to pay tribute to those who lost their lives and extend condolences to grieving families.

"Currently, the number of people who lost their lives following the adverse weather conditions stands at 92 across the Eastern Cape and this includes a body of a teenage girl discovered along the Mthatha River early this evening," according to a statement issued on Wednesday night by the Eastern Cape Provincial Government.

Mthatha, located in the OR Tambo District Municipality, remains the hardest-hit area across the province, and authorities have warned that the death toll may continue to rise, it said.

"Our collective immediate task is to work with families to ensure that the 92 souls we lost in this tragedy are buried with dignity," Eastern Cape Premier Lubabalo Oscar Mabuyane said at the memorial service. "After that, we work together to start the rebuilding process in the affected communities."

According to the premier, more than 4,300 people have been affected by the floods, with 4,229 households destroyed and another 1,963 sustaining partial roof damage.

Meanwhile, a total of 413 schools have sustained damage, affecting 1,471 classrooms and disrupting education for approximately 48,341 learners, he said, noting that "we have not listed damaged roads, bridges, hospitals, and water infrastructure but for now we estimate the damage at 4 billion South African rand (about 220 million U.S. dollars)."

Mabuyane also warned that the recent disaster must serve as a wake-up call. "There are many lessons we must all learn from this kind of tragedy. However, today I want to highlight the reality of climate change," he said. "It is no longer enough to react to disasters. We must prepare for them and prevent them where possible."

"As the people of the Eastern Cape, we carry the resilience of centuries, the warmth of Ubuntu, and the stubborn hope that always gets us through difficulties. Together, we will come out of this tragedy not just standing, but walking forward with purpose," he concluded.