Weeks of relentless rainfall have triggered catastrophic flooding across Mozambique and northern South Africa, forcing the iconic Kruger National Park to suspend all visitor access and evacuate guests and staff by helicopter Thursday.
The disaster has claimed at least 19 lives in the provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga, highlighting the mounting human and environmental toll of this year’s extreme weather.
The National Disaster Management Center confirmed that fatalities have been reported since the rains began last month, with the most recent deaths occurring in villages near Kruger National Park.
Provincial authorities said nearly 200 people have been rescued from rooftops and trees, while others remain at risk in low-lying areas.
Helicopters deployed by the South African National Defence Force have airlifted stranded residents, including a local chief trapped on his home’s roof, to safety.
Medical evacuations are ongoing, with patients transported to facilities such as Maphutha Hospital near Phalaborwa.
President Cyril Ramaphosa traveled to Limpopo Thursday to survey the flood damage firsthand and oversee the government’s response.
“Our teams are working around the clock to ensure the safety of affected communities,” his office said in a statement.
The South African Weather Service has issued a red-level 10 alert, the country’s highest warning, for the next 24 to 48 hours, forecasting an additional 100 to 200 millimeters (4 to 8 inches) of rainfall in the region.
The agency warned that overflowing rivers and saturated soil could lead to further displacement and infrastructure damage. Rivers including the Crocodile, Sabie, Letaba, Sand, Luvuvhu, and Limpopo have breached their banks, leaving communities and roads submerged.
At Kruger National Park, one of Africa’s premier wildlife destinations, authorities acted swiftly to safeguard both guests and staff. “We had to proactively evacuate certain bush and tented camps,” said Rey Thakhuli, the park’s communications director. “Animals are naturally able to move to higher ground, but human safety is our priority. At this time, there is no prediction for when the rain will stop, so we continue to monitor conditions daily.”
The flooding has prompted the park to close several of its nine main entrances, suspending day-visitor access.
The park spans roughly 20,000 square kilometers (7,722 square miles), nearly double the size of Jamaica or Qatar, and attracts 1 to 2 million tourists annually. Helipad evacuations have been essential to move stranded visitors from camps that have flooded or become isolated.
In neighboring Mozambique, authorities are also scrambling to protect vulnerable communities, issuing evacuations from low-lying areas and warning of further downpours, including in the capital, Maputo.
Reports of fatalities in Mozambique remain unclear as rescue efforts continue.
This extreme weather pattern comes amid a Southern Hemisphere summer already marked by climate extremes, with severe downpours in the northeast and droughts and wildfires further south.
“Our summer of extremes is a small foretaste of the climate impacts that could follow if we do not act now,” warned James Reeler, senior climate specialist at WWF South Africa.
Officials are urging residents to remain vigilant, particularly in flood-prone areas and near rivers and dams that have reached capacity.
