Including fatalities

“Extreme”: Two meters of snow fell in South Africa

Unusual images from Africa - the cars are not equipped for such masses of snow.

(Bild: AFP/Grant Bruce Cameron-Ellis)

Unusually heavy snowfalls fell in South Africa at the weekend - up to two meters of snow were measured in some places. But even in regions where wintry conditions are not usual, snowfalls have taken people by surprise and one person has already lost their life.

According to the emergency services, a woman died of hypothermia in hospital on Saturday after being stuck in a minibus with other passengers all night.

Immense traffic chaos
According to the operator, traffic on the main N3 highway between Johannesburg and Durban on the country's east coast was still backed up for 30 kilometers on Sunday, two days after the snowfall began. Countless cars, trucks and buses were stuck in the snow.

In the Drakensberg Mountains on the highway between Johannesburg and Durban, rescue and clearing operations continued on Sunday. Broken down vehicles and vehicles abandoned by their occupants hindered the clearing and rescue services. It remained unclear how many vehicles and how many occupants were still blocked on Sunday.

Lions also confused
In South Africa's inland regions, snowfall is a regular occurrence in winter, but large amounts of snow are a rarity. Regions where snowfall is otherwise never reported have also been recorded. Wild animals are also affected - lions, for example, have been provided with food and water that is not yet frozen.