The National Institute of Meteorology (INAM) issued a new alert on Wednesday, 7 January, warning of heavy rains accompanied by thunderstorms and locally strong gusts of wind in the provinces of Nampula, Cabo Delgado, Niassa, Zambézia, Sofala, and Manica, in northern and central Mozambique.
According to the statement cited by the newspaper O País, in Nampula, the affected districts will be Meconta, Erati, Murrupula, Rapale, Muecate, Mecuburi, and Nampula city. In Cabo Delgado, the alert covers Mecufi, Chiúre, Namuno, Montepuez, Metuge, Quissanga, Ibo, Meluco, Macomia, Muidumbe, Mocímboa da Praia, Mueda, Nangade, Palma, and Pemba city.
In Niassa province, all districts are expected to experience rainfall, while in Zambézia, the affected districts include Gilé, Mocuba, Lugela, Gurué, Alto-Molócuè, Namacura, Nicuadala, Derre, Mopeia, Inhassunge, Chinde, Luabo, and Quelimane city.
“In Sofala, rainfall is expected in the districts of Marromeu, Cheringoma, Caia, Maríngue, Muanza, Dondo, Buzi, Chibabava, Nhamatanda, Gorongosa, and Beira city. Finally, in Manica, rain will affect Machaze, Mossurize, Sussundenga, Macate, Gondola, and Chimoio city,” the statement adds.
Given this situation, INAM urged the public and local authorities to take precautionary and safety measures. “It is recommended to adopt precautionary and safety measures in view of the expected weather conditions,” the statement concludes.
This is the second warning in less than a month issued by meteorological authorities regarding heavy rainfall in the central and northern regions. On 22 December, INAM forecasted moderate precipitation, with up to 30 millimeters of rain in 24 hours.
In October, the Government approved a national contingency plan for the 2025-26 rainy season, valued at 14 billion meticais, but admitted that only 6 billion meticais of the required funds were available.
Mozambique is considered one of the countries most severely affected by climate change, regularly facing floods and tropical cyclones during the rainy season, which occurs annually from October to April. Between December and March of the last cyclone season, Mozambique was hit by three cyclones, including Chido, the first and most severe at the end of 2024.
The number of cyclones hitting the country has increased over the past decade, along with wind intensity, according to the 2024 Mozambique State of the Climate Report released by the National Institute of Meteorology in March.
Extreme events caused at least 1,016 deaths in Mozambique between 2019 and 2023, affecting approximately 4.9 million people, according to the National Institute of Statistics.
