Regional Crisis: Southern Africa’s Deadly Deluge

A humanitarian disaster is unfolding across Mozambique and South Africa as torrential rains trigger what locals describe as unprecedented flooding.

Since early January, over 640 000 people have been affected, with the death toll rising to 125 since the rainy season began.

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has deployed emergency teams to assist. Mozambique declared a Red Alert on 16 January, followed by neighbouring South Africa instating a State of National Disaster two days later. Major infrastructure, including the vital N1 highway, is submerged, causing nationwide food and fuel shortages.

Desperate residents have been forced into trees and onto rooftops to escape the Inkomati River. Francisco Chivindzi, a 67-year-old farmer, highlighted the danger facing those still stranded, saying: “I wish they would heed the rescuers and join us here in this temporary shelter. We should value life more than the goods.”

While international teams have rescued hundreds, many remain displaced. Police officer Aninha Vicente Mivinga noted the scale of the event: “It is the first time since I was born that we’ve been affected by flooding of this dimension.[sic]”

SADC officials are now coordinating a regional appeal to manage the mounting recovery efforts.

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