Regional bloc deploys emergency team to flood-hit Mozambique (PHOTOS)

Experts in rescue health logistics and coordination have joined national efforts as hundreds of thousands face displacement and damage

A Southern African Development Community (SADC) Emergency Response Team (ERT) arrived in Mozambique on Saturday to help the government deal with the effects of extensive flooding, a statement from the organization said.

The team includes “experts in safety and security, logistics, search and rescue, information management and data collection, public health emergency response, civil-military coordination, communications and multisectoral assessment” to support national relief work.

The SADC ERT will be “integrated into the national humanitarian coordination mechanism” in Mozambique, the organization’s press service stated.

Mozambique’s government declared a Red Alert on January 16, signaling urgent humanitarian needs as heavy rains caused rivers to overflow and flash floods across central and southern regions. These include Gaza, Maputo, Sofala, Inhambane, and Manica provinces.

According to the SADC, more than 651,843 people have been affected by the floods, with 12 deaths reported, 71,600 houses flooded, 364 schools affected, and 229 health facilities impacted.

READ MORE: Catastrophic floods hit Mozambique (VIDEO)

Mozambique’s president, Daniel Chapo, canceled a planned trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos amid the emergency to focus on domestic response efforts.

Heavy rains that began in late 2025 have resulted in widespread flooding across parts of southern Africa, overwhelming drainage systems and causing rivers and dams to surge beyond capacity. In South Africa, prolonged downpours have inundated Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces, killing at least 30 people, damaging thousands of homes, and prompting evacuations, including in Kruger National Park.

Zimbabwe has experienced extensive flooding, with at least 70 deaths, 51 injuries, and more than 1,000 homes destroyed since early January. 

READ MORE: ‘You broke it, you fix it’: Why the Global South’s patience is wearing thin

The SADC said its ERT will be deployed to Mozambique and South Africa from January 23 to 31. The team is expected to assist national authorities “in emergency response, early recovery operations, continuous monitoring of the situation, and consolidation of a regional humanitarian appeal.”