Officials say the death toll is expected to rise as rescue efforts continue.
At least nine people have died in South Africa after drowning during a flash flood along the Jukskei River in Johannesburg, emergency services said on Sunday.
They were swept away during a naming ceremony, officials said. Another eight people are believed to be missing.
“We recovered two bodies yesterday and seven more today,” Robert Mulaudzi, spokesman for the Johannesburg Ambulance Service, told the DPA news agency.
The number is expected to continue to rise as the search and rescue operation continues.
Mulaudzi said 33 believers gathered on the banks of the river in the Johannesburg suburb of Bramley Park for the baptismal ceremony on Saturday, December 3. A sudden storm caused the flash flood and a strong current, he said.
Congregations often gather to perform church rituals, including cleansing and baptisms along the Jukskei River, which flows through many townships, including Alexandra in east Johannesburg.
In June, four people drowned at baptism ceremonies in the country’s Limpopo province, and over Easter this year the Ministry of Water and Sanitation issued a special warning against holding baptism ceremonies in rivers.
Mulaudzi urged churches holding such ceremonies to be more vigilant for storms and flash floods, which are common at this time of year.