JOHANNESBURG, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- The death toll from floods triggered by heavy rainfall in South Africa's Limpopo Province has risen to nine, including a five-year-old child, local authorities said on Friday.
"The rainfall was unprecedented, with some areas recording up to 400 millimeters within a few days," Limpopo Premier Phophi Ramathuba said at a media briefing, adding that the floods caused extensive damage to communities and infrastructure, including about 1,600 homes.
Ramathuba said search and rescue operations are still under way in some of the worst-affected areas, as authorities continue to assess the full impact of the floods.
On Thursday, the South African Weather Service issued a red Level-10 warning for disruptive rainfall over parts of Limpopo and neighboring Mpumalanga Province.
The warning followed several days of persistent heavy rainfall that has already saturated catchment areas, with further downpours expected. ■