In 2024, the worst mid-season dry spell in over 100 years, floods, cyclones, disease outbreaks, economic shocks and conflict drove humanitarian needs across Southern Africa. An estimated 22 million people needed urgent humanitarian assistance.
Southern Africa experienced the impacts of a strong El Niño event which caused the worst drought on record for the region, as well as flooding in Tanzania. These factors have led to severe food insecurity, with some 45 million people highly food insecure. Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe declared states of national disaster due to the drought. Food insecurity caused widespread malnutrition among young children. More than 4 million children under age 5 required treatment for stunting.
Water scarcity and reduced access to safe water, due to the effects of climate shocks and other factors, increased the risks of waterborne diseases. In 2024, the region experienced the deadliest cholera outbreak of the past decade, with an estimated 70,000 cases reported, including 1,374 related deaths. Mpox, measles and other disease outbreaks were also reported.
Four tropical storms/cyclones caused destruction, deaths, displaced thousands and affected some 610,000 people. In January 2024, Tropical Cyclone Belal hit Mauritius; in March, Severe Tropical Storm Filipo impacted Mozambique, while Tropical Cyclone Gamane hit Madagascar. Finally, Tropical Cyclone Chido in December affected Madagascar, the Comoros, Mozambique, and Malawi.
Climate shocks and hazards, economic shocks across the region and hostilities in northern Mozambique continued to trigger displacement. The region hosts 829,000 internally displaced people and 676,000 refugees.
Given the severity of the situation, humanitarian partners ramped up response, advocacy, and resource mobilization, including the implementation of life-saving activities and Anticipatory Action programmes. A series of Flash Appeals, including for Malawi, Mozambique, Madagascar, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, were launched to respond to such crises, in support of government efforts and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) regional appeal. However, funding shortages continued to affect response capacity.
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- UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
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