Apr 17, 2022 - World

Death toll rises to 443 after South African storm

Julia Shapero

Family members assist a search and rescue unit with clearing debris while attempting to locate 10 people unaccounted for near KwaNdengezi township outside Durban in South Africa on April 15. Photo: Phill Magakoe/AFP via Getty Images

The death toll from a storm in South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal province has reached 443, the province's premier said on Sunday.

Driving the news: Heavy rainfall in the region earlier this week led to flooding and mudslides, destroying infrastructure and killing hundreds. Sixty-three more people remain unaccounted for as of Sunday, said Sihle Zikalala, KwaZulu-Natal's premier.

What they're saying: "This is a moment of great adversity," Zikalala wrote on Facebook. "But this is also a moment where we need to summon our collective courage and turn this devastation into an opportunity to rebuild our province. It is a moment for the human spirit to triumph over adversity."

He added: "The people of KwaZulu-Natal will rise again from this mayhem. We are assured of this because KwaZulu-Natal has the whole nation behind it."

Our thought bubble, from Axios' Andrew Freedman: Studies have established that human-driven climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of heavy precipitation events worldwide.

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Death toll rises to 443 after South African storm

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