Johannesburg, Jan 22, (dpa/GNA) – At least 82 lives have been lost in a spate of severe summer weather, that has seen South Africa pummelled by persistent downpours for days on end, authorities said on Tuesday.
Most of the deaths were due to drownings and lightening strikes, the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs said.
“Rain is most welcomed as it assists to address the challenges of water shortages in some parts of our country,” Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, the head of the department, said in a statement.
“Unfortunately, the heavy downpours have caused considerable damage to large parts of the country, thus limiting movement of people and causing flooding in some areas.”
Areas of the hard-hit eastern town of Ladysmith were under meters of water on Tuesday.
Dams in South Africa and the mountain kingdom of Lesotho were said to be at their bursting points due to this month’s torrential rains.
Lesotho, which is completely surrounded by South Africa, has also recorded several weather-related deaths in the past week.
GNA