More than 100 dead as floods hit Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe

Torrential rains and severe flooding across parts of southern Africa have killed more than 100 people in Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe, destroying thousands of homes and causing damage across the region as rescue operations continued, authorities said. The rains, described as unusually heavy since late last year, have been among the worst floods in years in the three countries, officials said.

In South Africa, more than 30 people died in the flooding, while Zimbabwe reported at least 70 deaths tied to heavy rains. In Mozambique, 13 deaths were directly attributed to flooding over the past two weeks, though the actual toll was believed to be higher, according to the report.

Authorities in Mozambique ordered evacuations in some towns in Gaza province, where the governor said more than 300,000 people had been displaced. The Mozambique government said more than half a million people across the country had been impacted by the flooding.

In Gaza province, the Gaza provincial capital of Xai-Xai and the nearby agricultural town of Chokwe were submerged, with only the tips of building roofs visible in some areas. The tourist town of Marracuene, north of Maputo, was surrounded by water and effectively cut off.

In South Africa, Environment Minister Willie Aucamp said Kruger National Park sustained damage amounting to tens of millions of dollars and that parts of the park were totally cut off by the flooding. Aucamp said roads and bridges were washed away and that staff and tourist accommodation had been destroyed, with damage so severe that recovery would likely take years to fully complete.

A special fund was set up to rebuild Kruger, which covers nearly 20,000 square kilometers (7,722 square miles), about the same size as Israel, and often attracts more than 1 million visitors a year. No deaths were reported in the park, but hundreds of tourists and staff were evacuated from flood-stricken areas, some by helicopter.

Kruger officials said animals generally move to higher areas in times of flooding, but they said the extent of the impact on wildlife— including critically endangered black rhinos—was not yet clear.

Cross-border rescue operations were also underway. The South African Air Force deployed helicopters to rescue people stranded in trees and on the tops of buildings in Mpumalanga and Limpopo, and it said it was conducting cross-border operations to assist Mozambique, where it had rescued nearly 500 stranded people. The military shared images of some of its rescues showing people huddled on rooftops surrounded by possessions.

South Africa declared a national disaster, as thousands of homes and other buildings were destroyed. South African authorities also said they were concerned about the stability of a dam in the northeast under pressure from flooding, sending safety engineers to work on it and ordering evacuations in case it breaches.

Humanitarian agencies said hunger and disease risks were increasing after crops were wiped out, leaving millions of small-scale farmers unable to feed themselves. Agencies warned that water-borne cholera often threatens communities after major flooding.

UNICEF said children were especially vulnerable among the more than half a million people affected in Mozambique, citing uncertainty about access to clean water, food and healthcare for those displaced.