Although we can’t fully predict exactly when natural disasters occur, it always helps to learn more about them so we’re prepared for what to do next.

With that, let’s get a closer look at the common natural disasters experienced here in South Africa.

What are the most common natural disasters in South Africa?

The most common natural disasters in South Africa are floods, droughts, tornadoes and earthquakes.

Read on to learn more!

1. Floods

Based on the data from the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, floods are the highest recorded natural disaster in South Africa. 

Our country has experienced 77 major cases from 1980 to 2010. The total number of casualties in these incidents reached around 1,068 people.

A significant example of this is the Sobantu floods in 1987 where there were more than 500 deaths. The heavy rainfall in this area led to a series of flash floods and landslides.

In turn, many people lost their lives and source of livelihood. There was also extreme damage done to the infrastructure in the area.

2. Droughts

Next to floods, droughts are also commonly experienced in South Africa as it is the 30th driest country in the world.

But in 2015, the situation turned for the worse with lesser rainfall and fewer water resources in the country, mainly caused by climate (why does South Africa have different climates) change.

In turn, it severely affected the agricultural industry and livestock production in the country.

According to the government, this was one of the worst cases in the country’s entire history. Although relief operations have been done, it still wasn’t enough to fully resolve the situation.

3. Tornadoes

Tornadoes are common occurrences in South Africa as we went through a series of these for the last century. It has caused major infrastructure damage and grew more frequent over time because of global warming.

Although this could potentially happen in any part of the country, the most frequent cases happened in the areas of Gauteng, the Free State and KwaZulu-Natal (What is KwaZulu Natal known for?).

But the deadliest one so far was the Mount Ayliff tornado in Eastern Cape in 1999. It was classified as an F4 or violent tornado.

It destroyed the areas around Mount Ayliff and Tanbakulu, with around 95% of our residents losing their homes in the process. 25 of them died in the incident while approximately 500 people were injured.

4. Earthquakes

Although our country’s not in an ‘earthquake hotspot’, it is still possible to experience this natural disaster when we least expect it. It could lead to severe damages, spanning up to dozens of kilometres away from its epicentre.

In fact, gold mining towns like Orkney, Klerksdorp and Welkom are the most susceptible to these seismic events. In 2020 alone, the country had a record of 862 tremors, with an average of more than two of them per day until November of the same year.

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