Africa: torrential rains, over 100 dead in South Africa, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe

Johannesburg (South Africa), Jan. 16 (LaPresse/AP) – More than 100 people in South Africa, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe have died as a result of torrential rains and flooding. Authorities have warned that the weather is expected to worsen in several southern African countries. South Africa has recorded at least 19 deaths in two of its northern provinces following heavy rains that began last month and caused severe flooding. In neighboring Mozambique, the Institute for Disaster Management and Risk Reduction said 103 people died during the rainy season. The deaths were caused by various factors, including lightning strikes, drowning during floods, infrastructure collapses due to bad weather, and cholera. The worst flooding in Mozambique, according to the World Food Programme, was in the central and southern regions, where more than 200,000 people were affected, thousands of homes were damaged, and tens of thousands are at risk of evacuation. Zimbabwe’s disaster management agency said 70 people have died and more than 1,000 homes have been destroyed by heavy rains since the beginning of the year, while infrastructure such as schools, roads, and bridges have collapsed. Flooding has also affected the island of Madagascar off the African coast, as well as Malawi and Zambia. Madagascar authorities said 11 people have died as a result of the floods since the end of November.