MAPUTO/PHALABORWA — Weeks of heavy rain across southern Africa have triggered severe flooding in Mozambique and northeastern South Africa, leaving communities cut off, forcing evacuations and prompting authorities to warn that conditions could worsen as river levels rise and more downpours are forecast.
In Mozambique, residents in low-lying areas around the capital, Maputo, were urged on Friday to move to higher ground as floodwaters expanded into suburbs and rural districts. The UN’s migration agency said more than 230,000 people have been affected. Mozambican President Daniel Chapo said emergency teams were conducting rescues and distributing food assistance while assessments continue.
The situation is particularly acute in Boane district, about 30 kilometres west of Maputo, where roads have become impassable and residents have resorted to improvised transport. Lucas Carnosse, a local resident, told AFP he walked to work “despite the very high water level” after waiting more than three hours for a special truck service. But responders warned that service may be suspended because “the water is very deep” and vehicles can no longer pass.
Some traders have used makeshift boats to cross flooded sections, paying fees that are unaffordable for many. One vendor, Sonia Andre, described the journey as frightening, adding that the return trip was even harder because of the strong current. AFP reporters said many households remain isolated in high-risk zones with limited options for evacuation, as demand for transport and rescue outpaces available capacity.
Local officials said Boane is already cut off by road links, and warned water levels continue to rise near the Pequenos Libombos dam. District administrator Lázaro Bambamba said land communications had been severed, while authorities identified schools as temporary shelters and urged residents to leave flood-prone areas.
Across the border in South Africa, authorities said floods have killed at least 19 people in Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces in recent weeks, with weather officials maintaining the highest alert level in parts of the region and warning of additional heavy rainfall. Provincial officials in Limpopo reported that two additional bodies were recovered this week, adding to fatalities since December.
The deluge also forced the temporary closure of Kruger National Park to day visitors after rivers overflowed and access roads flooded. SANParks said some areas were inaccessible and monitoring continued as conditions evolved.
Authorities in both countries have urged residents and travellers to heed evacuation guidance and flood warnings, as saturated ground and swollen river basins increase the risk of further rapid inundation.
