South Africa has declared a state of disaster so the government can accelerate its response to widespread floods and free up funds for assisting with reconstruction.<\/p>\n
It was the second such pronouncement in less than a week.<\/p>\n
President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday declared a national state of disaster over an energy crisis that\u2019s crippling the nation\u2019s economy.<\/p>\n
The declaration will enable an intensive, coordinated response to floods affecting the Eastern Cape, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, and North West provinces, according to a statement from the presidency.<\/p>\n
The floods have damaged homes, businesses, basic infrastructure, roads, and bridges and affected crops and livestock.<\/p>\n
Further losses are anticipated as the South African Weather Service predicts that current heavy rains will persist, the presidency said.<\/p>\n
South Africa is experiencing the La Nina weather phenomenon, which usually causes above-normal rainfall in the country and its neighbours. Early last year, many parts of the nation recorded the heaviest rains since tracking by district began in 1921.<\/p>\n
Those floods, coupled with severe power outages, led the economy to contract in the second quarter.<\/p>\n
The disaster declaration will allow for temporary shelters, food and blankets to the homeless as well as large-scale, costly rehabilitation of infrastructure, the presidency said.<\/p>\n