Heavy rains flood southern Mozambique, affecting at least 600,000 people

Weeks of intense rain in December and January have inundated southern Mozambique, displacing hundreds of thousands and affecting at least 600,000 people, NASA Earth Observatory reported.

NASA imagery shows the scale of the flooding: the MODIS instrument on the Aqua satellite captured a false-color image of floodwaters moving down the Limpopo and Incomati rivers on January 25, 2026, while a Terra satellite image from December 17, 2025, shows the same area before the inundation. Natural-color views reveal thick plumes of sediment flowing into the Mozambique Channel.

According to Mozambique's National Disasters Management Institute, the floods have destroyed or damaged at least 30,000 homes. Agriculture officials report flooding of at least 180,000 hectares of crops and the loss of more than 150,000 head of livestock. Some of the hardest-hit cities include Maputo, Xai-Xai, and Chókwè.

Health experts are warning of elevated risk of cholera, diarrhea, and other waterborne diseases, and authorities from at least one city have reported crocodile attacks. The institute said the numbers are likely to increase as search and rescue operations continue.

Key Topics

World, Mozambique, Limpopo River, Incomati River, Maputo, Modis