Southern Africa Floods Kill Over 100; Mozambique, South Africa, Zimbabwe Worst Hit

Capetown: More than 100 people have died across three Southern African countries due to floods and heavy rains, with many others injured. In several areas, stranded residents were rescued by military helicopters. The deaths were reported in South Africa, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe, where torrential rains have persisted for weeks. Reports indicate the death toll is likely to rise, and weather services have warned of continued heavy rainfall and worsening flooding.

In Mozambique alone, over 2,00,000 people have been affected by the floods, with the country experiencing the greatest damage. Flooding has occurred in various parts of the central and southern provinces, destroying thousands of homes. In South Africa, floods in two northern provinces have claimed at least 30 lives as of Friday, with rescue operations ongoing.

Zimbabwe’s disaster management agency reported that since the beginning of the year, heavy rains have killed 70 people and destroyed more than a thousand homes. Schools, roads, and bridges have also been damaged. Floods have caused destruction in other African countries as well, including the island nation of Madagascar, Malawi, and Zambia.

The US disaster alert system has indicated that the La Nina phenomenon is contributing to the heavy rainfall in these African countries. In South Africa, the military has been deployed for rescue operations. In the northern Limpopo province, people trapped on rooftops were rescued by soldiers. Police officers and border control personnel stranded along the South Africa-Zimbabwe border were also evacuated. The province received 400 millimeters of rain within one week.

Authorities reported that thousands of homes have been damaged, many completely destroyed, particularly in Mpumalanga province. Roads and bridges have collapsed. A red alert has been issued in the Encomassi municipality near the Mozambique border.

Tourists and staff were evacuated from South Africa’s famous Kruger National Park. Flooding severely affected approximately 22,000 square kilometers (7,722 square miles) of the park across Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces. Around 600 tourists and staff were relocated from camps to higher ground within the park, according to a park spokesperson.

Rivers overflowed, submerging camps, restaurants, and other areas, restricting visitor access. Precautions were taken in Kruger, and no deaths or injuries have been reported, although some areas of the park remain completely isolated. In Mozambique, more than 70,000 hectares (about 173,000 acres) of major crops, including maize and rice in Nelle and Cholam, have been submerged by the floods.