The government announced on Thursday, 22 January, that more than 180,000 hectares of agricultural production have been flooded and over 150,000 heads of livestock lost due to floods affecting several regions of the country during the 2025–26 rainy season, reported Lusa.
According to government spokesperson Inocêncio Impissa, “186,700 hectares have been inundated,” with Gaza province being the hardest hit, accounting for 100,500 hectares destroyed in the districts of Chókwè and Massingir, followed by Maputo province and city.
In Maputo province and city, floods affected 51,600 hectares of agricultural production in the districts of Magude, Manhiça, and Namaacha, while Inhambane province recorded 20,000 hectares flooded and Sofala province saw 4,691 hectares affected.
In the livestock sector, the government highlighted significant losses, particularly in Gaza province, where 55,800 cattle, 7,749 goats, and 1,237 sheep were lost, making the region one of the most severely impacted by the floods.
“Maputo province has reported losses of 47,100 cattle, 23,400 goats, and 7,920 pigs, affecting 4,337 farmers,” said Inocêncio Impissa, emphasizing the direct impact of the floods on community livelihoods.
The government’s assessment also indicates that in the southern region of the country, the river basins of Maputo, Umbelúzi, Incomáti, Limpopo, Inhanombe, Mutamba, and Save continue to record high flow volumes, remaining above alert levels.
Although gradually decreasing, the Pequenos Libombos, Massingir, and Corumana dams still maintain high water levels, potentially reaching safety thresholds in the coming days, while at Senteeko Dam in South Africa, “the risk of flooding persists.”
Recently, the National Institute of Meteorology (INAM) issued a yellow warning due to the approach of a tropical depression in the Mozambique Channel, which could bring moderate to heavy rainfall and winds with gusts up to 70 kilometres per hour, at a time when the death toll has risen to 122, with six missing, 99 injured, and 682,000 people affected nationwide.
