Hundreds of people killed or missing after floods in southern Africa

Following flooding in the north of the country, South African authorities declared a national state of disaster on Sunday. Official figures say at least 30 people lost their lives and thousands of homes were damaged. The northern provinces of Mpumalanga and Limpopo were particularly affected, where floods also destroyed this bridge which crosses the Selati River.

For weeks, parts of South Africa and the neighboring countries of Mozambique and Zimbabwe have seen heavy rainfall. More than 200 people were killed in the three countries since the end of December, with over 100 fatalities recorded in Mozambique alone. On Monday, Mozambican President Daniel Chapo canceled his trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos this week due to the disaster.

Rescue workers are searching for survivors in the South African province of Limpopo: according to official figures, at least 11 people have died here so far, and at least 20 in the neighboring province of Mpumalanga. The floods damaged thousands of homes and washed away bridges and roads. In Limpopo alone, the provincial government estimates the damage to infrastructure at €217 million.

A military vehicle transports people to safety in the Boane region of Mozambique. More than 230,000 people across the country have been forced to flee the floodwaters, and authorities estimate that a total of more than 400,000 people have been affected — a figure that is likely to rise as rainfall continues unabated. Many people have been reported missing.

In several regions, rivers burst their banks and flooded entire neighborhoods, as seen here in Matola, Mozambique. Thousands of people were displaced. According to information from the National Institute for Disaster Management, some people sought refuge in trees and on rooftops. Roads were flooded, and homes and fields were destroyed.

The World Food Program has already described this as one of the worst floods to hit Mozambique in years, and warned of far-reaching consequences: more than 70,000 hectares of farmland have been flooded, including rice and corn fields. There has also been massive damage to infrastructure, exacerbating food insecurity in a country that is already poor.

Mozambique is often affected by extreme weather: located on the Indian Ocean, it is regularly hit by cyclones. According to a World Bank report, between 1980 and 2022, the country was battered by a total of 28 cyclones, 20 severe floods and 15 droughts. Climate change is also making floods in southeastern Africa more frequent and severe.

While South African authorities continued searching for survivors and recovering bodies over the weekend, the floodwaters began to recede in some areas, revealing the extent of the destruction left behind. In neighboring Zimbabwe, rivers bursting their banks caused severe damage and forced thousands of people to flee to higher ground.

Around 600 people were evacuated from the famous Kruger National Park last week —the popular tourist destination had to be closed on Thursday due to flooding. On Monday, the park was reopened to day visitors. At the same time, the park administration urged visitors to exercise caution.