Catastrophic floods hit Mozambique (VIDEO)

Nearly 600,000 people have been affected, officials say

Massive flooding has affected nearly 600,000 people across the southern and central regions of Mozambique, the government has announced.

The known death toll linked directly to the floods and related weather hazards throughout the rainy season stands at 106, including victims of drowning and lightning strikes, according to government data.

Officials said Gaza province remains at the heart of the crisis, with the Limpopo Valley districts most in need of urgent support. The government spokesperson and minister of state administration, Inocencio Impissa, told reporters on Monday that over 380,000 of those affected are in this province, and search and rescue efforts could push the number higher as teams continue to reach people stranded by rising waters.

In Gaza province, the authorities opened 36 temporary reception centers to house victims of the floods, Governor Margarida Mapandzene said, with the largest center at Chihaquelane.

“There are 327,000 people in the 36 reception centers. The water from the Limpopo River has already flooded the lower part of the city of Xai-Xai and we call for immediate evacuation of the population in that municipality,” she said.

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Flooding covered almost half of Gaza province, fully destroyed over 150 km of roads nationwide, and damaged more than 3,000 km of road networks, Minister of Transport and Logistics Joao Matlombe stated.

In Maputo province, the floods have also dealt a heavy blow to agriculture. The Mozambican Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries reported that torrential rains and swollen rivers have inundated and destroyed 10,000 hectares of crops.

The heavy rains linked to this flooding event are part of broader severe weather affecting southern Africa, where torrential rainfall has inundated large areas of Mozambique, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. 

In South Africa, flooding hit Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces after weeks of rains, killing at least 30 people, damaging thousands of homes, and forcing evacuations, including from Kruger National Park.

READ MORE: Hundreds dead as southern Africa pounded by heavy rain (VIDEOS)

Zimbabwe has also faced widespread flooding, with at least 70 deaths and 51 people injured, while more than 1,000 homes have been destroyed since early January.