Bodies of schoolchildren found after bus swept away after heavy rains

The search for schoolchildren swept by floods in the province of Cap Orientale in South Africa resumed after being interrupted during the night, officials said.

The children were on their way to the school in the city of Mthatha when their bus was swept away in flood waters while crossing a bridge on Tuesday morning.

A total of eight bodies, including that of the bus driver, have so far been recovered, the community security manager of Cape Eastern, Xolile Nqatha, said private television station Newzroom Afrika.

Other officials said three students had been rescued on Tuesday, but we did not know how many students were on the bus, who has since been found on a bank without anyone inside.

Public broadcaster SABC reported that the three children who had been rescued were hung on trees.

On Wednesday morning, the Prime Minister of Cap Oriental, Oscar Mabuyan, visited the premises to attend rescue efforts and to meet the affected communities.

He told Newzroom Afrika that even if the situation was “difficult”, he was “very happy” from the response of the emergency services.

South Africa has been struck by Snow supplies, rains and windswind winds This officially cost the lives of 14 people, nine of the floods and five in a road accident.

Nearly 500,000 houses were left without electricity on Tuesday – and the state -owned electricity supplier ESKOM said that efforts are made to restore connections.

The president of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, offered his condolences to the families of those who died when he urged citizens to “show caution, care and cooperation while the worst impacts of winter weather take effect across the country”.

CAP oriental – The birthplace of the Anti -Apartheid Nelson Mandela icon – was the least affected by icy conditions, as well as the province of Kwazulu -Natal.

Bad weather has forced the closing of certain major roads in the two provinces to avoid other losses.