Johannesburg, South Africa — 2026-01-16 Extreme Rainfall Inundates South Africa and Mozambique. Large areas of northeastern South Africa and neighboring Mozambique have been inundated with exceptionally heavy rainfall, prompting officials to issue the highest flood warning levels.
The deluge has been driven by a slow — moving cut-off low-pressure system, causing intense downpours and overwhelming river systems.
The South African Weather Service has raised its flood warning to the highest level, with roads washed away and infrastructure damaged in several regions.
In the Kruger National Park, heavy rains have forced the evacuation of staff and visitors, and the park has been temporarily closed to the public.
According to regional officials, the heavy rainfall has caused widespread disruption, with numerous deaths reported and large areas rendered inaccessible.
In the Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces, parts of which have received about twice their average annual rainfall since October 2025, the situation is particularly severe.
The ongoing wet weather is disrupting the harvesting and export of mangoes and lemons, threatening supply chains. Authorities have also warned of displaced wildlife, including crocodiles and hippos, which have been sighted near homes.
Emergency services have been conducting rescues of residents trapped by rapidly rising rivers.
Meanwhile, in North America, January has continued the theme of much of December with further record warmth. Temperatures in parts of the US and Canada are 10-15C warmer than usual for this time of year, with many January records broken.
The situation in South Africa and Mozambique remains critical, with further heavy rainfall expected. Maputo, Mozambique’s capital, could see daily rainfall totals exceed 200mm by the end of Friday, while western parts of South Africa and northwestern Eswatini may record more than 100mm. Further details are expected as the situation develops.
Source: [Extreme rainfall inundates South Africa and Mozambique — Theguardian. Com/environment/2026/jan/16/weather-tracer-extreme-rainfall-inundates-south-africa-mozambique-flood-warning (theguardian.
*Additional reporting by ImNews | Sources consulted: 5*
