Regional Emergency Team Deployed to Mozambique After Devastating Floods
A regional emergency team has arrived in Mozambique to help manage the devastating aftermath of weeks of flooding that has affected more than 650,000 people.
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) dispatched a specialist unit on Saturday to support local authorities. The team includes experts in logistics, search and rescue, public health, communications, and civil–military coordination. They have been integrated into Mozambique’s national humanitarian system to reinforce ongoing rescue and recovery operations.
Flooding has severely damaged roads, schools, health centres, and other critical infrastructure. Gaza Province is the worst hit, with nearly 392,000 people affected and four deaths reported. Additional fatalities include three in Maputo Province, one in Maputo City, and four in Sofala Province, bringing the nationwide death toll to at least twelve. Emergency teams are still working to reach isolated communities and assess the full scale of the disaster.
Weeks of heavy rainfall, compounded by dam releases to prevent structural failure, have left more than 700,000 people impacted, over half of them children. Humanitarian agencies such as the World Food Program and UNICEF report widespread destruction of farmland, raising fears of hunger and worsening vulnerability among small-scale farmers.
The World Health Organization (WHO) warned Friday of severe disruptions to health services in Gaza and Maputo provinces. At least 44 health facilities have been destroyed, leaving tens of thousands without access to care. More than 50,000 displaced people now living in temporary shelters face limited or nonexistent health services.
WHO cautioned that patients on long-term medication risk life-threatening interruptions. It urged urgent action to restore essential services, deploy mobile health teams, and ensure continuity of care for those with chronic conditions.
Humanitarian agencies also warn of rising risks of disease. With crops wiped out and sanitation systems overwhelmed, water-borne illnesses such as cholera pose a major threat. Relief organizations say hunger and disease could spread rapidly unless aid is scaled up.
The floods highlight the growing impact of extreme weather across southern Africa. Regional authorities stress that coordinated action is vital to prevent further loss of life and to stabilize communities already struggling with food insecurity and fragile health systems.
