In early January 2022, the Eastern Cape province in South Africa experienced heavy rain and flooding following a thunderstorm that swept away homes, personal belongings and loved ones.

These flash floods have left hundreds homeless, especially in township of Mdantsane which is situated on a floodplain making it more vulnerable to these types of natural disasters.

[4] The Eastern Cape province, located on the east coast of South Africa records on average 40mm of rain in the month of January, typical of the rainy season.

Before the January 2022 floods, Buffalo City Municipality experienced a period of long-term drought that had hit the Eastern Cape province which lead to the implementation of strict water-use regulations.

[8] These torrential rains were both a blessing and curse, as they brought in a much needed water supply, however the strong current ravaged through the township, leaving nothing but disaster behind.

The response from the cities and weather services was not quick enough to warn the citizens, primarily due to the lack of preventative measures in place ahead of these disastrous floods.

More than 11,000 natural disasters have been documented worldwide in the last 50 years, resulting in 2 million fatalities and $3.64 trillion in material damage, according to the World Meteorological Organization.

"Climate disasters are becoming more frequent, raising the possibility of decreased food production, poverty, hunger, and heightened danger of unrest and conflict in some countries."

[4] On the humanitarian front, companies supported flood victims by giving them goods and warmth, while non-profit organizations were highly productive in delivering resources like food, blankets, and mattresses.

A Mdantsane resident spoke of the donation, “We are very grateful… with the essentials [Vodacom] has provided for us.”[13] There are no detailed data and no definitive environmental reports related to this flooding.

According to a report released by the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality on January 12, after an assessment by the disaster center and the fire brigade, it was found that the road was blocked by debris and a large amount of rainwater had accumulated.

[19] Finally, floods are considered by scholars to have the worst impact on the poor[20] and pose a serious threat to the insurance industry while causing huge economic losses.

[27] The trauma in the hearts of survivors who have lost a loved one can be difficult to recover from in a short time, producing anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, and can exacerbate physical illness.

[28] Impacts such as the loss of crops, housing and other infrastructure also often translate into long-term problems such as malnutrition, poor maternal and child health care, and contamination of water sources with E. coli, further exacerbating the spread of infectious diseases.