Southern Africa’s Crisis Deepens: Flood Impact And How Bad It Is

Southern Africa’s flood emergency has surged in the first weeks of 2026, and it is still unfolding. In Mozambique, South Africa, and Zimbabwe, swollen rivers and washed-out roads are keeping rescue teams busy while families try to salvage food, documents, and shelter. Death tolls vary by country, but recent reporting puts overall fatalities above 100, with hundreds of thousands displaced.

What’s Happening Across The Region

Mozambique is the epicentre: government and UN updates describe major displacement in southern and central provinces, with Gaza province repeatedly flagged as a hotspot as the Limpopo basin swells. Floodwater has cut key routes and damaged health facilities, making “last-mile” access the hardest part of the response. 

In South Africa, the government declared a national disaster after severe flooding hit Limpopo and Mpumalanga, and regional officials warn cross-border inflows are pushing flood pulses into Mozambique’s Limpopo basin, worsening flooding around Gaza province. SADC says it has deployed an emergency response team to support Mozambique and South Africa.

The “Second-Wave” Threat: Disease And Cut-Off Care

This is where the crisis can turn sharper. WHO says around 1.3 million people have been affected across parts of Southern Africa, warning of urgent needs like safe water, shelter, and access to essential health services. Malawi has already rolled out cholera vaccinations as heavy rains and flooding raise outbreak risks, especially in crowded areas with limited sanitation.

Viral But Real: Crocodile Warnings In Floodwater Towns

A grim, widely shared detail is Mozambique’s warning about crocodiles pushed into towns by swollen rivers, after reported fatal attacks. For a quick social-media snapshot from a regional newsroom account, click here.