Southern Africa: Heavy Rains and Floods Flash Update No. 3 (17 February 2026)

HIGHLIGHTS:

• Since mid-December 2025, heavy rainfall and cyclones across Southern Africa have affected an estimated 1.5 million people, with over 300 deaths and more than 170,000 people displaced, primarily in Mozambique, Madagascar, South Africa and Zambia.
• Successive cyclones in Madagascar alone — Tropical Cyclone Fytia and Intense Tropical Cyclone Gezani — have affected over 681,000 people, including approximately 475,000 in need of humanitarian assistance, causing widespread damage to housing and critical infrastructure.
• In Mozambique, flooding has affected approximately 723,000 people, damaged over 171,000 houses and 229 health facilities, and destroyed 717,000 hectares of farmland, exacerbating food insecurity and disease risks.
• South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe have reported fatalities, displacement and extensive infrastructure damage, including to schools, health facilities, bridges and dams, with cholera outbreaks recorded in Zambia and heightened public health risks across the region.
• Agricultural losses across multiple countries, following earlier El Niño–related drought conditions, are compounding food insecurity and undermining livelihoods, with long-term implications for recovery and resilience.
• Governments are leading response efforts, supported by SADC, UN agencies and humanitarian partners, while CERF and other donors have mobilized emergency funding, including anticipatory action allocations for Cyclone Gezani.
• Humanitarian operations face major constraints due to access disruptions, damaged infrastructure, continued rainfall, disease risks and significant funding gaps, underscoring the need for sustained regional coordination and additional international support.