A National Disaster Declared: Floods Unleash Havoc Across South Africa and Mozambique

The rain didn’t just fall; it devoured. For weeks, relentless storms have pummeled southern Africa, transforming rivers into raging torrents that swallowed homes, roads, and lives. On Sunday, the scale of the catastrophe forced South Africa’s hand. Elias Sithole, head of the National Disaster Management Centre, made the official declaration: the flooding is now classified as a national disaster.

The human toll is stark and growing. In South Africa’s northeastern provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga, the floods have claimed more than 30 lives. Authorities are in a grim race against time, searching for survivors and recovering bodies as waters slowly begin to recede in some areas. The iconic Kruger National Park, forced to close and evacuate visitors last week, has cautiously announced a partial reopening, urging extreme caution.

A Cross-Border Catastrophe

The disaster knows no borders. Neighbouring Mozambique is experiencing parallel devastation, with entire neighbourhoods submerged. Official figures report at least eight deaths since December 21, but rescue groups warn the number is certain to rise as contact is made with isolated communities. The Mozambican government estimates over 173,000 people have been affected nationwide.

The most harrowing stories emerge from these inundated zones. Rescue efforts, hampered by washed-out infrastructure, have been achingly slow. In Gaza province, north of Maputo, Chauna Macuacua told AFP that her family had been stranded on a roof for four days. In that precarious refuge, her sister-in-law was forced to give birth on Thursday night. “We still haven’t had any rescue or assistance for the baby and mother,” Macuacua said, highlighting the dire lack of access.

Desperate Searches and a Diplomatic Tragedy

Civil society groups report numerous people missing. “I think the numbers of dead will increase in the next hours,” said Wilker Dias of Plataforma Decide. The tragedy also struck close to diplomatic circles. South Africa dispatched rescue teams to southern Mozambique after a vehicle carrying five members of a South African mayoral delegation was swept away by floodwaters near Chokwe. The incident underscores the pervasive danger the floods pose.

The Long Road Ahead

While the immediate crisis of rising water may be easing in parts of South Africa, the monumental task of recovery is just beginning. Thousands are displaced, infrastructure is shattered, and communities are grieving. The national disaster declaration unlocks additional government resources and focuses national attention, but the path to rebuilding will be long and arduous.

This flooding event is a brutal reminder of the region’s vulnerability to extreme weather. For the mother who welcomed her newborn on a rooftop, for the families mourning lost loved ones in Limpopo, and for the hundreds of thousands displaced, the aftermath of the deluge will define their lives for years to come. The waters may retreat, but the scars they leave on the landscape and the human spirit will remain.