Fact Check: "Two school children reportedly washed away in bus during floods."
What We Know
Recent reports indicate that a minibus carrying schoolchildren was swept away by heavy flooding in South Africa. A spokesperson for the Eastern Cape provincial government confirmed that while the exact number of children on the bus is unclear, three children have been found alive, and rescue efforts were temporarily halted due to nightfall (BBC). In a separate incident, at least 49 people have died in the flooding, which has affected various regions in South Africa, particularly the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal provinces (CNN).
In a different context, a tragic incident occurred in Kentucky, USA, where a 9-year-old boy named Gabriel Andrews was swept away by floodwaters while walking to his school bus stop. This incident happened after two bus routes were canceled due to severe weather conditions. Gabriel's body was discovered later that morning, highlighting the dangers posed by flooding (Mirror, WHAS11).
Analysis
The claim that "two school children reportedly washed away in bus during floods" is partially true. The incident in South Africa involves a minibus with schoolchildren being swept away, but it is not confirmed that two children were lost in this specific event. Instead, reports indicate that three children were found alive, and the overall death toll from the flooding is much higher, with at least 49 fatalities across the affected regions (New York Times, CNN).
In Kentucky, the case of Gabriel Andrews is a separate incident where a child was swept away while walking to a bus stop, not while on a bus. This distinction is crucial as it highlights the different contexts of the flooding incidents. The Kentucky incident underscores the dangers of flooding, especially when children are involved, but does not directly support the claim regarding children being washed away in a bus.
The sources used in this analysis vary in reliability. The BBC and CNN are reputable news organizations known for their journalistic standards, while local news outlets like WHAS11 provide timely coverage but may not always have the same level of editorial oversight. Therefore, while the information from these sources is generally credible, it is essential to consider the context and specifics of each incident.
Conclusion
The verdict is Partially True. The claim reflects real events involving schoolchildren and flooding, but it conflates two separate incidents—one in South Africa involving a minibus and another in Kentucky involving a child walking to a bus stop. The details matter significantly in understanding the nature of these tragedies.
Sources
- School Bus Swept Away as Floods in South Africa Kill at Least 49
- South Africa hit by snow, floods and gale force winds ...
- Boy, 9, swept away and killed by floodwaters while walking to school ...
- Kentucky child dies in flood waters while walking to bus stop
- Children swept away in school bus among at least 49 killed ...
- A boy walking to a school bus was swept away by floodwaters and died ...
