Severe Weather In South Africa Causes Kruger Park Closure

JOHANNESBURG, Jan 16 (Bernama-dpa) -- Parts of southern Africa have been affected by flooding and destruction following heavy rainfall that has lasted for days, German Press Agency (dpa) reported.

In South Africa, the authorities in Limpopo Province have declared a state of disaster.

In neighbouring Zimbabwe, around 70 people have died in the floods since the beginning of the year and more than a thousand families have been left homeless after their houses were destroyed.

A civil defence spokesman said there have been 19 deaths in South Africa so far. The authorities say several towns are cut off from the outside world.

The world-famous Kruger National Park in South Africa has been temporarily closed to day visitors since Thursday.

A spokeswoman for the national park authority SANParks said this was a precautionary measure in view of the weather forecasts.

Meteorologists are expecting further heavy rainfall until the weekend. One of the park's camps has already been evacuated due to flooding of the Letaba River.

Footage posted on social media showed helicopters were also used in the evacuation as some roads were under water.

--BERNAMA-dpa