At least 49 people, including several schoolchildren, have been killed in the floods that have swept through South Africa's Eastern Cape province as torrential rain and snow have hit parts of the country. "The numbers are just escalating hour after hour. The situation is so bad on the ground," provincial premier Oscar Mabuyane said.

The number of people who have died in floods in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province has risen to 57 and includes several school children, who drowned when the minibus taxi they were traveling in was swamped.