Catastrophic flooding across Mozambique has affected more than 640,000 people, according to national authorities, as weeks of relentless rainfall continue to wreak havoc across southern Africa. The disaster has submerged entire communities, destroyed farmlands, displaced families, and heightened fears of hunger, disease outbreaks, and a worsening humanitarian crisis.
More than half of those affected are in Gaza province, one of the hardest-hit regions in the country. The provincial capital, Xai-Xai, has been almost completely submerged, forcing thousands of residents to flee their homes with little or no belongings. Roads, schools, health facilities and markets have been swallowed by floodwaters, leaving many communities cut off from essential services.
Mozambique’s National Disaster Management Institute (INGD) is leading emergency response efforts in collaboration with local authorities and international partners. Temporary accommodation centres have been established to shelter displaced families, but officials warn that the rapid influx of victims has overwhelmed existing facilities.
“In less than 24 hours, over 10,000 people have arrived at the center,” said Cândido Mapute, INGD’s regional director. “We urgently need to strengthen the shelters, increase food supplies, and provide more medicine. The situation is extremely critical.”
Many of the displaced are women and children who have been forced to sleep in overcrowded centres with limited access to clean water, sanitation and healthcare. Aid workers report that basic necessities such as blankets, cooking utensils and hygiene materials are in short supply.
In Limpopo province, the floods have caused severe damage to agricultural zones that support thousands of households. District administrator Virgilio Muchanga confirmed that authorities have rescued at least 40 people trapped by rising waters, but vast areas of farmland have been washed away.
“The biggest impact of these floods has been on agricultural production,” Muchanga explained. “Many families depend entirely on farming, and their crops have been completely destroyed.”
The destruction of farmland has raised serious concerns about food security. Humanitarian agencies say millions of small-scale farmers have lost maize, rice and vegetable crops that they rely on both for daily consumption and income. With planting seasons disrupted, the risk of prolonged hunger in affected regions is growing.
Adding to the emergency response, members of the Portuguese Air Force have been deployed to Mozambique to provide technical and logistical support. The Air Force Rapid Reaction Force is currently conducting assessments to determine urgent humanitarian needs.
“Our role at this moment is to evaluate the situation on the ground,” said Lieutenant-Colonel Figueira. “The needs are being documented and will be forwarded to Portugal to guide further assistance.”
Health experts have also raised alarms over the possibility of disease outbreaks, particularly cholera, which is commonly associated with major flooding. Contaminated water sources, overcrowded shelters and damaged sanitation systems create ideal conditions for the spread of water-borne diseases.
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has warned that children are among the most vulnerable victims of the disaster. According to the agency, access to clean drinking water, adequate nutrition and medical care remains uncertain for thousands of families.
“Floods place children at extreme risk,” UNICEF said in a statement. “When water systems are damaged and healthcare services are disrupted, preventable diseases can quickly become deadly.”
Southern Africa has experienced weeks of intense rainfall linked to extreme weather patterns, resulting in some of the worst flooding the region has seen in years. In addition to Mozambique, neighbouring Zimbabwe and South Africa have also been severely affected.
Across the three countries, more than 100 deaths have been officially recorded so far. However, authorities caution that the death toll is likely to rise as floodwaters recede and more remote areas become accessible.
In Mozambique alone, rescue teams continue to search for missing persons while evacuating families stranded on rooftops and trees. Helicopters and boats have been deployed in areas where roads have become impassable.
Climate experts say the disaster highlights the increasing vulnerability of southern Africa to extreme weather events. Rising temperatures and unpredictable rainfall patterns have intensified floods and droughts across the region in recent years, placing enormous pressure on fragile infrastructure and economies.
For many Mozambicans, this is not the first time they have faced such devastation. The country has endured repeated cyclones and floods over the past decade, making recovery increasingly difficult for already impoverished communities.
Humanitarian organisations are now calling for urgent international support to prevent the situation from deteriorating further. Immediate priorities include food distribution, clean water supply, emergency healthcare, and the reinforcement of temporary shelters before more rains fall.
As thousands remain displaced and entire livelihoods destroyed, the coming weeks will be crucial in determining the scale of the humanitarian impact. Without swift and sustained assistance, aid agencies warn that the crisis could deepen into a prolonged emergency affecting millions.
For now, families in Gaza and Limpopo provinces cling to hope as relief efforts continue, while authorities race against time to prevent hunger, disease and further loss of life.
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