US EditionClimate change worsened rains and floods which killed dozens in southern Africa, study shows
Human-caused climate change increased rainfall intensity by about 40%, worsening floods that displaced over 300,000 people and caused millions in damages, study finds.
- On Thursday, World Weather Attribution said human-caused climate change worsened torrential rains and floods in South Africa, Mozambique and Zimbabwe, killing more than 100 and displacing over 300 000.
- Co-Author Izidine Pinto cautioned that a modeled 40% increase in rain intensity would be impossible to explain without human-caused climate change, while researchers noted La Niña operated within a warmer atmosphere and most climate models come from centers in the U.S., Europe and Asia.
- Data show the downpours were classified as roughly a once-in-50-years event, with some locations recording a year's worth of rain in 10 days and the season's rainfall in two to three days.
- In Mozambique, reporters found Xai-Xai and Chokwe largely submerged while roads and bridges were swept away in Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces; Mpumalanga authorities ordered evacuations and warned dam water could worsen flooding, with officials cautioning it may take weeks for waters to recede.
- Researchers recommended Africa-focused climate models to better understand regional impacts, noting Mozambique is downstream of nine international rivers and the peer-reviewed study involved scientists worldwide.
17 Articles
17 Articles
The torrential rains in southern Africa are now 40% more intense than in the pre-industrial era, according to science. Human climate change is behind devastating floods that affect millions of people and hit particularly hard the most vulnerable communities. Between 10 and 19 January this year, areas of Mozambique, South Africa, Zimbabwe and Eswatini received amounts of rain equivalent to what would normally fall in a whole year, but in just ten…
La Niña, Climate change, high exposure and vulnerability combined led to devastating floods in parts of Southern Africa – World Weather Attribution
Since late December 2025, severe flooding has affected large parts of Mozambique, Eswatini, northeastern South Africa and Zimbabwe, killing more than 200 people (Al Jazeera, 2026), destroying more than 173,000 acres of crops (Sky News, 2026) and causing further widespread humanitarian and socioeconomic impacts in the affected countries. In Mozambique, more than 75,000 people across six provinces have been affected, with the number rising rapidly…
Climate change and La Niña made ‘devastating’ southern African floods more intense
“Exceptionally heavy” rainfall that led to deadly flooding across southern Africa in recent weeks was made more intense by a combination of climate change and La Niña. This is according to a rapid attribution study by the World Weather Attribution service. From late December 2025 to early January, south-eastern Africa was hit hard by intense downpours that resulted in more than a year’s… Source
Exceptional rains during the year killed at least 200 people in the south of the African continent. Hundreds of thousands were affected, as well as large plant roots are, pastagens and infrastructure. Read more (01/29/2026)
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