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Highlights
Following torrential rains over most of southern Africa, particularly South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique, the humanitarian situation in Mozambique has deteriorated over the past two days due to the combined effect of consecutive days of exceptionally heavy rainfall and excessive runoff from neighbouring countries, affecting several provinces, with Gaza and Maputo among the most impacted. Flooding has resulted in significant loss of life and widespread displacement. The Government of Mozambique has declared a red alert across the entire national territory.
As of 17 January, national authorities report at least 103 fatalities, 86 injured persons, more than 4,000 houses destroyed, and approximately 173,000 people potentially at risk. Substantial damage to infrastructure and agricultural land has also been reported, with potentially severe implications for health and food security, while the National Institute for Disaster Risk Management and Risk Reduction (INGD) has highlighted that around 100 health facilities are at risk.
This emergency exacerbates pre-existing vulnerabilities, as communities are still recovering from successive natural disasters earlier in 2025, including Cyclones Chido and Dikeledi. A concurrent cholera outbreak further heightens health risks for displaced populations and disrupts the provision of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and gender-based violence (GBV) services.
643,331 Total people affected
164,049 Women of reproductive age
11,532 Estimated pregnant women
8,202 People targeted w/ SRH services
3,500 People targeted w/ GBV programmes
Situation Overview
Mozambique and neighbouring countries, such as South Africa and Zimbabwe, are experiencing severe flooding and widespread humanitarian impacts due to intense and prolonged rainfall during the peak of the 2025/2026 rainy and cyclonic season. Since late December 2025, very heavy rains have affected most parts of Mozambique, with particularly severe impacts in the southern and central regions. In some areas, accumulated rainfall has exceeded 700 mm. Forecasts indicate continued heavy rainfall in the coming days, especially in Maputo, Gaza, and Inhambane provinces.
Between 21 December 2025 and 18 January 2026, floods and inundations were reported across nearly all provinces. An estimated 600,000 people are potentially exposed to flooding in Gaza and Maputo provinces alone. Authorities estimate that approximately 166,014 people require evacuation, the majority of whom are in Gaza Province. Critical infrastructure has sustained significant damage, including roads, bridges, drainage systems, and hydrometeorological monitoring infrastructure, exacerbating access constraints and hampering response efforts. Mandatory evacuations are ongoing, with more than 34,000 people already relocated to accommodation centres, and additional evacuations are underway in high-risk districts.
Given the scale and severity of the crisis, the Government has activated a nationwide Red Alert to ensure centralized coordination and mobilization of national and international response capacities. Key challenges include limited evacuation and rescue assets, damaged transport infrastructure, and recurrent urban flooding linked to inadequate drainage systems