Mozambique floods spiralling into escalating emergency, UN warns

After weeks of heavy rains, floodwaters in Mozambique’s Maputo province have submerged vast areas of land. Nationwide, more than 100 people have been killed since the rainy season began in October.

Rosita Augusto, a resident of Maputo Province, is trying to get to her home on the other side of the floodwater.

"I am scared to cross here. We want to go home. Since the day before yesterday, we have been stuck on this side. We want to cross to get home. We have decided to take a risk."

In Maputo province alone, more than 36,000 people are affected. But the floods have destroyed thousands of kilometers of roads, preventing aid from getting through.

"We are working, but we don't have all the data about what is happening now," says Manuel Tule, Governor of Maputo Province. "This moment we are making plans to go to the affected areas where there are people waiting to be rescued. We are still working."

Across the country more than half a million people have been affected, with tens of thousands forced into emergency shelters. But there's not enough treated water or fuel for boats.

Opposition leaders blame the government for failing to prepare.

“In the past 50 years since independence, Mozambique has received 5 billion USD for climate change and urban cleaning," says Venâncio Mondlane, president of ANAMOLA Party. "And with this money, practically all the social infrastructure that was built is of low quality - bridges that will be destroyed in the next rainy season, bad roads. As soon as the floods disappear, we must have a serious investment plan."

Escalating emergency

Children's agency UNICEF said January's exceptionally heavy rains had created a rapidly escalating emergency.

"The flooding that we're seeing is not just destroying homes, schools, health centres and roads," said UNICEF spokesman Guy Taylor. "It's really turning unsafe water, disease outbreaks and malnutrition into a deadly threat for children. The fact that Mozambique is now entering into its annual cyclone season creates the risk of a double crisis."

Taylor said disruption to food supplies and health services "threatens to push the most vulnerable children into a dangerous spiral".

"What happens in the coming days will really determine not only how many survive this emergency but how many can recover, how many can return to school and rebuild their futures," he said.

The latest deluge is already among the worst Mozambique has seen in years, and officials fear the toll could climb further with more heavy rain forecast. A countrywide red‑alert warning, the highest level, has been issued over the weather.