EC FLOODS DEATH TOLL RISES

THE death toll from the devastating Eastern Cape floods continues to rise, as authorities intensify search and rescue efforts for missing people.

Officials say that 88 bodies have been recovered and that bereaved families are identifying loved ones pulled from the flood waters after the Mthatha dam and rivers burst their banks.

President Cyril Ramaphosa visited some of the affected communities on Friday, where he expressed his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families in the affected communities.

The president also visited the collapsed Efata Bridge in Mthata, where a taxi transporting school children was swept away, killing at least six learners as well as the driver and conductor, while others remain missing.

On Sunday, Ahmed Bham, head of Gift of the Givers' search and rescue team, told broadcaster Newzroom Afrika that the airwing of the South African Police Service has been instrumental in finding the bodies.

He reported: “We have a multi-disciplinary search and rescue team consisting of the South African Police Service, Department of Health and Gift of the Givers. 

“We said over the next two days, we are going to intensify our searches, and we are lucky to have the [SAPS] airwing assisting us. 

“We were in the flight as well to look at the Mthatha Dam, flying to the rivers, when we recovered two bodies at the same place on Saturday.”