South Africa had 6 weather-related natural disasters in 2023, all of them floods or storms, according to EM-DAT, a database of global disasters. The only African country to have fared worse is the Democratic Republic of Congo, which had 7.

The Christmas floods in Ladysmith, KwaZulu-Natal, are the latest to be recorded on the database, along with floods and landslides in parts of the DRC.

South Africa has had the second-highest number of natural disasters (59) in Africa in the past 20 years. Kenya has the most with 60.

Two-thirds (67%) of Africa’s disasters were floods and 11% of Africa’s disasters were drought-related (143 in total). Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia have been the most drought-hit, with 9 each. South Africa has had 5, which is the 7th highest.

Since 2003, tropical cyclones have caused 96 disasters. Madagascar has been hit by far more tropical cyclones than any other African country. EM-DAT lists 42 cyclone-related disasters in Madagascar since 2003. Mozambique is next with 15.