Story by Oleen Ndori, Foreign Desk Editor
THE Southern African Development Community (SADC) Emergency Response Team (ERT) is assisting the Government of Mozambique in its ongoing response to severe flooding, working closely with national authorities and humanitarian partners.
Search and rescue operations continue in the hardest-hit areas of Gaza and Maputo provinces, with both national and international assets deployed to save lives in flood-affected zones, including floodplains.
In a statement, SADC noted that the floods have caused widespread displacement, extensive damage to critical infrastructure, and severe disruption to livelihoods, with farmlands submerged and access to food severely limited for affected communities.
“The deployment of the SADC Emergency Response Team forms part of our regional disaster response mechanisms to support the Government of Mozambique following the declaration of a Red Alert on 16 January 2026, and the subsequent appeal for humanitarian assistance,” said Ms Babra Lopi, SADC Secretariat Head of Communication and Public Relations.
“The Emergency Response Team comprises experts in safety and security, logistics, search and rescue, information management and data collection, public health, civil-military coordination, communications, and multisectoral assessment.”
Prolonged rainfall has affected several SADC member states, with Mozambique and South Africa hardest hit.
Mozambique declared a Red Alert on January 16, while South Africa followed with a State of National Disaster on January 18.
On January 22, President Emmerson Mnangagwa responded to requests for support from Mozambique and Malawi, dispatching emergency food aid and deploying a rescue team to Mozambique.
Domestically, the Head of State directed the Civil Protection Unit to remain on high alert, supported by the army, police, and government departments, to respond to any anticipated weather-related disasters.
Government has also mobilised 50 tonnes of grain per province as a contingency measure during the current rainy season.
