Rescue teams are fully engaged in recoveries as the search for victims of the catastrophic floods continues in Mthatha in the Eastern Cape.

The official death toll stands at 86. More than 1 000 other people have been displaced.

Teams from the police, EMS health services and aid organisations are among those combing the flood-hit area. Humanitarian aid organisation Gift of the Givers says its teams will search the bushes next to a local river now that the water has subsided.

The organisation’s Ahmed Bham says, “We are fortunate today to have the SAPS air wing with us; they will do aerial recovery operations along the river with us. We have the health department helicopter that will also be assisting. “We brought in additional resources, crocks, and our boats; we will have a team searching in the water in the main river, and other teams will be moving on the side of the river.”

EC Floods | We are searching for more bodies: Ahmed Bamm weighs in:

“Our teams recovered two bodies in the dam, and the others were recovered along the river. Our teams are working together with SAPS, and if we look at if we need to bring in more resources, we continue rescue efforts around this region as much as needed for the coming week,’ says Bham.

E Cape Floods | Families identifying victims: