Floods ravage Mozambique, leaving widespread destruction

Wilma Mavhengere

The floods in Mozambique have left a trail of devastation, with countless people left homeless, their lives shattered, and their futures uncertain. The raging waters have claimed lives, destroyed homes and swept away livelihoods, thereby leaving behind a landscape of despair.

More than 300,000 people have been displaced by flooding in a province in Mozambique, its governor said Monday. Authorities had already announced that around 40 percent of the Gaza province has been submerged by floodwater following weeks of torrential rain in parts of southern Africa.

Mozambican President Daniel Chapo has cancelled his trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, because of the severe flooding impacting central and southern parts of the country,y that is according to the state-run daily newspaper Noticias.

Gaza Governor Margarida Mapandzene Chongo reported that roughly 327,000 people are now staying in dozens of temporary shelters such as schools and churches after being evacuated from flooded and at‑risk areas in the southern province, which has a population of about 1.4 million.

Humanitarian groups warned earlier this month that about 200,000 people could be hit by the extreme weather in Mozambique, but that figure has already been surpassed. Cabinet minister and government spokesperson Inocencio Impissa said nearly 600,000 people have been affected in Gaza and neighbouring Maputo provinces.

Communities across Mozambique are grappling with the aftermath of severe flooding as waters begin to recede, exposing the full scale of the destruction. Homes have been washed away, livelihoods destroyed and critical infrastructure damaged. For many residents, the days ahead will be marked by loss, uncertainty and the difficult task of rebuilding. Authorities and aid groups are assessing needs on the ground as affected families try to come to terms with the devastation left behind by the disaster.