Flooding Displaces Crocodiles into Urban Areas, Claiming Three Lives in Mozambique
Severe flooding across southern Africa has unleashed a terrifying new threat in Mozambique, as rising waters have pushed confused crocodiles into submerged towns, resulting in at least three confirmed fatalities. The devastating deluge, which has claimed over 100 lives across the region, has created a perfect storm of danger where wildlife and human populations collide.
Urgent Warnings Issued in Gaza Province
Authorities in Xai-Xai, the capital of Gaza province, have issued urgent warnings to residents about the increased danger from crocodiles as floodwaters continue to rise. Paola Emerson, head of the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Mozambique, explained the unprecedented situation after visiting affected areas.
"The river levels are rising and are reaching urban areas or heavily populated areas," Emerson stated. "So the crocodiles that are in the Limpopo river in this case are able to get into populated areas that are now submerged under water and that is the concern."
Of the thirteen flood-related deaths reported in Mozambique, officials confirm that three were directly caused by crocodile attacks. In one particularly harrowing incident, a man was reportedly "swallowed" by a crocodile in Moamba, a small town in Maputo province.
Floodwaters Create Unprecedented Wildlife Threat
The Limpopo River, which flows from South Africa through Mozambique into the Indian Ocean, has become a conduit for displaced wildlife. Authorities believe the crocodiles have been driven into populated areas by floodwaters originating from a park in neighboring South Africa.
Henriques Bongece, Maputo province's secretary, delivered a stark warning through local media: "We want to urge everyone not to approach still waters because crocodiles are drifting in these waters. The rivers have connected with all areas where there is water."
The situation represents an extraordinary convergence of natural disasters, where torrential rains have not only caused traditional flood damage but have fundamentally altered the relationship between human settlements and dangerous wildlife.
Deepening Humanitarian Crisis Across Southern Africa
Beyond the immediate threat from wildlife, the floods have triggered a severe humanitarian crisis affecting hundreds of thousands of people. According to humanitarian bodies including the World Food Program and UNICEF, weeks of heavy rainfall compounded by dam releases have affected more than 700,000 people, more than half of them children.
The destruction extends across vast farmland, wiping out crops that millions of small-scale farmers rely on for sustenance. The World Health Organisation warned on Friday of severe disruptions to health services following the destruction of at least 44 health facilities in Gaza and Maputo provinces.
Critical infrastructure damage has interrupted service delivery, leaving tens of thousands without access to care. More than 50,000 people forced into temporary shelters face limited or nonexistent basic health services, with displaced people on long-term medication facing life-threatening interruptions to their treatment.
Regional Impact and Ongoing Threats
The crisis extends beyond Mozambique's borders, with torrential rains and severe flooding over the past month claiming lives and causing destruction across southern Africa:
- More than 100 total fatalities across Mozambique, South Africa, and Zimbabwe
- Thousands of homes destroyed or severely damaged
- Critical infrastructure including roads, bridges, schools, and health facilities compromised
- Rising risks of hunger and water-borne diseases such as cholera
Humanitarian agencies emphasize that urgent action is needed to restore essential services, deploy mobile health teams, and ensure continuity of care for people with chronic conditions. The convergence of wildlife threats, infrastructure collapse, and public health emergencies creates a multidimensional crisis requiring coordinated international response.
As floodwaters continue to reshape the landscape of southern Africa, the displaced crocodiles serve as a stark symbol of how extreme weather events can disrupt ecosystems and create unexpected dangers for vulnerable populations already struggling with the immediate impacts of climate-related disasters.
