Hundreds dead as southern Africa pounded by heavy rain (VIDEOS)

Floodwaters have destroyed homes, farmland, and infrastructure across Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe

Mozambique, South Africa, and Zimbabwe have reported at least 200 deaths from heavy rains, flooding, and related storms this month, local authorities have said.

In Mozambique, which has been hit hardest, the National Institute for Disaster Management and Risk Reduction reported on Friday that at least 103 had died as a result of the downpour and resulting deluge, and that more than 200,000 had been affected nationwide. Around 173,000 acres of farmland there are flooded.

On Sunday, South Africa’s National Disaster Management Centre sounded the alarm after flooding in Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces left at least 30 people dead and thousands of homes damaged or destroyed.

South African Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Velenkosini Hlabisa has urged communities in Limpopo and Mpumalanga to exercise caution, stressing that the conditions “require vigilance and responsible action from everyone,” as quoted by SAnews.

Kruger National Park in South Africa, one of the continent’s largest wildlife reserves, was partially closed on Thursday and more than 600 tourists and staff were evacuated after rising waters cut off access roads and campsites. The military deployed helicopters to rescue people stranded by floodwaters and evacuate residents from flooded areas.

Zimbabwe’s Department of Civil Protection said at least 70 people have died since early January amid widespread flooding. The agency reported that 51 people were injured, while more than 1,000 homes were destroyed and key infrastructure, including roads, bridges and schools, were damaged.

In southern Africa the annual rainy season generally runs from November through March, with the bulk of rain falling during the January to March period.

Southern Africa has faced several historic floods in recent decades. Mozambique’s 2000 floods, caused by heavy rains linked to Cyclone Leon-Eline, killed around 800 people and submerged large areas of land. In March 2025, Cyclone Jude brought downpours and flooding to northern Mozambique and parts of southern Africa, causing infrastructure damage, displacement and fatalities.

READ MORE: Major wildlife park closes as heavy rains hit (VIDEO)

In early 2025 Zimbabwe experienced one of its deadliest rainy seasons in years, with the Department of Civil Protection reporting 66 deaths from heavy rains, flash floods, landslides, lightning strikes and related incidents during the 2024–2025 rainy season.