Mozambique has always been a country of intense seasonal rains and recurring floods. Why do high human losses and economic damage continue to occur? Experts warn that the cost of inaction continues to be paid by the population.
The start of 2026 was marked by heavy rainfall that caused flooding in several parts of the country, destroying what many people had built through great sacrifice. Entire families saw their homes submerged, agricultural fields lost and livelihoods compromised in a scenario that repeats itself with worrying regularity. Once again, the government’s ability to respond to, prevent and mitigate the effects of these extreme phenomena has been put to the test.
Beyond the humanitarian dimension, the floods once again expose structural weaknesses, ranging from the lack of effective land-use planning to the fragile management of infrastructure and public resources.
Between emergency response and the need to invest consistently in prevention, the country remains trapped in a cycle of recurring losses, in a context where climate change increases risks and pushes every rainy season to new extremes.
Despite investments made and international support received over the decades, structural vulnerability remains.
Mozambique in a Fragile Position
For environmental activist Rui Silva, Mozambique is in a particularly fragile position in the face of climate change.
“Geographically, we are a country heavily affected by the consequences of climate change. Although we are among the countries that pollute the least, we are among the most vulnerable to its impacts,” he said, stressing that the intensity of rainfall recorded in recent years is directly linked to the global climate crisis.
According to Rui Silva, although rainfall is part of the country’s natural climate cycle, its severity has been increasing.
“The intensity has a lot to do with the climate crisis,” he said, adding that some recent episodes “are not far behind, or even exceed, what happened in 2000”, referring to the devastating floods associated with the 2000 Mozambique Floods.
“The succession of extreme events prevents recovery between crises: ‘We move from one tragic situation to another, without time to recover.” – Carlos Serra
Increasingly Difficult to Recover Between Crises
In the same vein, environmentalist and academic Carlos Serra believes Mozambique is today in a more vulnerable situation than it was two decades ago.
“There is a trend toward greater frequency and greater severity of extreme atmospheric phenomena,” he said, warning that the impacts are becoming increasingly difficult to absorb.
According to Serra, the succession of extreme events prevents recovery between crises.
“We move from one tragic situation to another, without time to recover,” he explained, noting that this reality is worsened by practices such as occupying low-lying land, building in flood-prone areas and investing in infrastructure that lacks resilience.
“We insist on works that are not capable of withstanding certain extreme phenomena,” he criticised.
Land-Use Planning: Laws Exist, Implementation Fails
Although Mozambique has a land-use policy and law approved in 2007, as well as regulations and plans at several levels (national, provincial, district and municipal), Carlos Serra points to a major deficit in implementation.
“We have a vast number of plans, but a very limited capacity to put them into practice. Many end up becoming dead letters,” he said.
The academic highlights a deep gap between the legal framework and the reality on the ground.
“Land occupation dynamics occur regardless of what is established in the law and in planning documents,” he explained, adding that the recent Disaster Risk Management and Reduction Law, approved in 2020, faces similar obstacles.
Populations continue to occupy “very vulnerable areas and, when floods occur, they are the first to be affected. We only think of solutions when the problem already exists: we do not anticipate the risk,” he criticised.
The resettlement of populations from flood-prone areas faces social resistance but, according to the activist, it is unavoidable.
“I understand that resistance, but this change has to happen for everyone’s benefit,” he said, recalling that the recent floods also resulted in deaths.
Deforestation, Wetlands and Waste Worsen the Effects
Carlos Serra also warns of the direct relationship between deforestation and increased disaster risk.
“The less vegetation we have, the more vulnerable we become to floods, cyclones and soil erosion,” he said, stressing the importance of forests as natural barriers.
The occupation of wetlands and mangroves is another critical factor.
“These areas act like sponges, absorbing excess rainwater. When they are destroyed, the risk increases,” he explained.
Meanwhile, Rui Silva added that in urban areas poor solid waste management significantly worsens the effects of heavy rains.
“Waste does not end up in drainage channels by itself. It is our fault,” he said, calling for an urgent change in mentality.
Blocked drainage ditches, he explained, expand flooding and contribute to the collapse of drainage systems.
Even so, Rui Silva acknowledges some progress by municipal authorities.
“There are areas of the city that did not suffer now what they suffered in the past,” he noted, attributing these improvements to the cleaning of drainage channels and the replacement of old pipes, some dating back to the colonial period.
Still, he admits that solving the problem in peripheral neighbourhoods remains a huge challenge.
“The ideal would be to demolish everything and start again, but that is not possible,” he said, pointing to underground drainage systems as an alternative, although financially demanding.
Text: Nário Sixpene • Photo: D.R.
