Mozambique underwater: floods leave hundreds dead and nearly 400,000 displaced in an unprecedented crisis

The heavy rains in Mozambique have caused one of the worst floods in recent years. According to the National Institute for Disaster Management (INGD) and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the floods have left at least 185 dead, 821,000 affected, and nearly 400,000 displaced.

The UNHCR representative in the country, Xavier Creach, noted that for many communities, this is the third major flood in 15 years, with repeated losses of homes, crops, and livelihoods. “Many told us they waited hours, if not days, on the roofs of their houses,” he reported.

Forced displacement and overcrowded shelters

The exodus caused by the rains adds to the displacement generated by the armed conflict in the north of the country, where jihadist groups operate. In total, the number of displaced people amounts to 700,000 people.

About 100,000 people are taking refuge in around a hundred temporary reception centers, mostly schools and public buildings. UNHCR warns that these spaces are severely overcrowded, lacking privacy, lighting, and basic services.

The rains particularly affect the provinces of Gaza, Maputo, Sofala, Inhambane, and Manica, leading the government to declare a red alert on January 16 and request international humanitarian assistance.

Obstacles to aid

The World Food Programme (WFP) reported that more than 1,500 kilometers of roads became unusable, forcing the use of planes, helicopters, and amphibious vehicles to reach those affected. About 20,000 people have been evacuated by air, water, and road.

The NGO Ayuda en Acción reports that water has invaded homes, streets, and fields, limiting mobility and increasing health risks. The WHO warns that the destruction of critical infrastructure and the disruption of health services increase the risk of water and mosquito-borne diseases, such as cholera, dengue, and malaria.

Fragility in the face of climate change

The destruction highlights the vulnerability of Mozambique and the region to increasingly frequent and intense extreme weather events. The WFP acknowledges that its resources are very limited and that allocating food to this emergency compromises the attention to those displaced by the conflict in the north.

International response after the floods in Mozambique

• Spain sent humanitarian aid worth 106,058 euros and deployed a water purification module.
• The Southern African Development Community (SADC) mobilized its Emergency Response Team to assist Mozambique and South Africa.
• In total, the rains and floods since December 2025 have affected 1.3 million people in southern Africa, according to the WHO.

Mozambique faces a humanitarian crisis marked by the combination of extreme weather events and armed conflicts. The magnitude of the damage requires strengthening prevention, adaptation, and response measures, as well as greater international cooperation to assist hundreds of thousands of displaced people and reduce health risks.