(12 Jun 2025)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Mthatha, South Africa – 12 June 2025
1. Wide of forensic officials loading the deceased into a morgue van
2. Various of forensic officials recovering more dead bodies caused by the floods
3. Wide of damaged cars, house and furniture
4. Pan of destroyed house
5. Damaged house and car, residents on site
6. SOUNDBITE (IsiXhosa) Shumie Sopiseka, victim:
“The water had reached my knees and we got on top of the couches and exited using the door. We ran to a nearby passage to escape. Within 30 minutes the entire house was covered in water.”
7. Various of affected residents removing mud left by the flooding
8. Victim Zinathi Vuso walking outside damaged home
9. SOUNDBITE (isiXhosa) Zinathi Vuso, victim:
“I need psychological help because I saw people dying in front of me, they were being dragged by the water along with the corrugated iron. Others tried to hold or climb on to something but it would break and they ended up dead. That is why you are seeing people still getting recovered and others are yet to be found.”
10. Damaged vehicle interior
11. Various of damaged vehicles
STORYLINE:
South African residents recalled their fear after devastating flooding ravished one of South Africa’s poorest provinces and killed at least 78 on Thursday.
Rescue teams spent a third day working through debris and floodwater to find missing people and retrieve bodies after heavy rain caused a river to burst its banks in the predawn hours of Tuesday.
The worst floods hit the town of Mthatha and surrounding areas, sweeping away victims along with parts of their houses and cars.
Oscar Mabuyane, the premier of Eastern Cape province, said the floods struck while many people were asleep. The water was 3-4 meters (10-13 feet) high in places when it flowed out of a river and into nearby communities, he added.
Victims of the floods were busy picking up the pieces and coming to terms with what had happened.
Shumie Sopiseka said she recalls how the water reached knee level before she fled with her daughter to safety.
"The water had reached my knees and we got on top of the couches and exited using the door. We ran to a nearby passage to escape. Within 30 minutes the entire house was covered in water," Sopiseka said
Zinathi Vuso, who lived a few blocks from Sopiseka’s ravaged house and car, told the Associated Press that he needed psychological support after witnessing people die.
"I need psychological help because I saw people dying in front of me, they were being dragged by the water along with the corrugated iron," said Vuso.
"Others tried to hold or climb onto something but it would break and they ended up dead. That is why you are seeing people still getting recovered and others are yet to be found," he added.
AP Video shot by Alfonso Nqunjana
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