South African experts urge proactive climate response following fatal floods

14/6/2025 7:01

With at least 78 people confirmed dead due to recent floods in South Africa's Eastern Cape Province, experts are urging local communities to become more proactive in responding to increasingly frequent extreme weather events.



"The frequency of extreme weather events is definitely growing, especially over the eastern half of the country. Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal are often impacted due to their geographic position. Many weather systems either start or end in those provinces," said weather forecaster Lehlohonolo Thobela from the South African Weather Service.



The South African government on Thursday announced a state of national disaster in four provinces, namely KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, Free State, and Western Cape.