Pretoria: The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has announced its ongoing efforts to support flood-stricken communities by conducting rescue operations to evacuate individuals stranded in the Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces. These regions have faced severe flooding and rising water levels due to persistent heavy rains over the past two weeks.

According to South African Government News Agency, the SANDF has also deployed a search and rescue team, including an Oryx helicopter from the South African Air Force (SAAF), to assist search operations in Mozambique, which has been impacted by adverse weather conditions. The SANDF reported that the aircraft and advance team have successfully landed in Maputo and are expected to work alongside emergency rescue teams and disaster management agencies in Mozambique as part of Operation CHARIOT.

The SANDF stated that more air assets are planned to be deployed from South Africa to support the rescue mission. In South Africa, the severe weather, including heavy rainfall, strong winds, lightning, and flooding, has affected Limpopo, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, and the North West.

This extreme weather has led to loss of life, significant damage to infrastructure and property, environmental degradation, displacement of communities, disruptions to schooling and agricultural activities, and closures in parts of the Kruger National Park. In Mpumalanga, 20 fatalities have been recorded, with over 1,300 homes, roads, and public infrastructure damaged. The death toll in Limpopo stands at 18.