South Africa: Floods - Jan 2026

On 17 January 2026, the Government of South Africa declared a national state of disaster in response to severe flooding in Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces, marking the escalation of a rapidly deteriorating situation that exceeded provincial response capacities. [...] 3911 households have been affected (19,555 people) in the three provinces, i.e. Limpopo (1954 HHs), Mpumalanga (1557 HHs) and KwaZulu-Natal provinces (400 HHs). 39 deaths have been reported (i.e. 20 deaths in Mpumalanga), 18 fatalities in Limpopo and (KwaZulu-Natal), and 5 missing people reported while 150 injuries have been reported. 206 Houses have been completely destroyed. [...] Beyond immediate physical damage, the floods have had significant impact on infrastructure and services. Overall, the floods have caused severe humanitarian and infrastructure impacts, with estimated damage exceeding R4 billion, affecting housing, transport, health, education, agriculture, and livelihoods. The events also disrupted schooling, damaged clinics and hospitals, restricted access to essential services, and undermined livelihoods. (IFRC, 2 Feb 2026)