Mozambique: 114 Dead and Half a Million Affected by Floods
Authorities have counted 65,000 damaged homes, 24 health centers and 43 flooded schools, thousands of kilometers of impassable roads and nearly 20,000 hectares of lost farmland.
Floods in southern Mozambique, where vast areas remain underwater. Photo: @ECHO_CESAfrica
January 19, 2026 Hour: 8:59 pm
The Mozambican government confirmed on Monday that 114 people have died due to the torrential rains and floods that have affected 594,681 people since December 2025, primarily in the southern provinces of Gaza and Maputo, as well as in the capital city. This figure represents an increase from the previous death toll of 103 reported on Friday by the National Institute for Disaster Management (INGD).
“To date, (…) a total of 594,681 people have been affected by the floods of recent days in the provinces of Gaza and Maputo (south), as well as in the city of Maputo (capital, southeast),” stated the Presidential Spokesperson, Minister Inocêncio Impissa, during a press conference in Xai-Xai, the provincial capital of Gaza, a region under a state of alert for the evacuation of residents in low-lying areas.
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According to the minister, eleven new deaths have been recorded since last Friday, “mainly due to lightning strikes, drownings, and collapsed walls.” Authorities have reported 65,000 damaged homes, 24 flooded health centers and 43 flooded schools, thousands of kilometers of impassable roads, and nearly 20,000 hectares of lost farmland.
The floods are the result of continuous rainfall for more than a week, exacerbated by overflowing rivers fed by runoff from neighboring countries such as South Africa and Zimbabwe. This phenomenon has left the city of Maputo cut off by road from the rest of the country.
In response to the emergency, President Daniel Chapo canceled his participation in the 56th World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, to personally oversee rescue and relief operations. “Mozambique is going through a difficult time. As President of the Republic, our place is with our people,” he wrote on his official Facebook page on Sunday. He added: “We remain committed to investment and to our international partners, but the absolute priority right now is saving lives.”
Chapo reported that air support has been reinforced to continue rescues in critical areas and made a “call for unity and solidarity from everyone.” Images circulating on local media and social networks show helicopters rescuing people trapped on rooftops or in trees, while vast stretches of farmland and roads remain submerged.
The international organization Save the Children warned that thousands of children are at risk due to the crisis. “Some displacement centers house both people and livestock, which poses risks to children’s health and hygiene,” it said in a statement. The opening of 14 floodgates at the Massingir Dam in Gaza released approximately 17,000 cubic meters of water per second, causing the Limpopo River to overflow and flood the city of Chókwè and much of the Guijá district, displacing thousands of people.
“Resources are extremely limited. Children are once again paying the highest price for Mozambique’s climate crisis, with homes, schools, and livelihoods submerged. Without immediate international support, this emergency will worsen,” warned Ilaria Manunza, Save the Children’s Country Director in Mozambique.
According to the latest report from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), at least 432,000 people have been affected in five provinces: Maputo, Gaza, Inhambane, Sofala, and Zambezia. Gaza is the hardest hit, with 330,000 people impacted.
Given the scale of the disaster, Mozambican authorities have requested additional air resources from the UN for rescue operations, as well as rapid transport of humanitarian aid, technical and logistical support, and vital supplies. Meanwhile, the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) announced the deployment of a helicopter and a rescue team to the neighboring country.
Mozambique is currently experiencing the peak of its rainy season, which began in October 2025 and is expected to last until March 2026. Meteorologists are forecasting more heavy rainfall and at least two tropical cyclones in the coming months, which could worsen the humanitarian situation.
Author: HGV
Source: Agencias
