Climate News

Floods across southern Africa kill more than 100 and close Kruger National Park

Weeks of heavy rain have caused deadly floods across southern Africa. ITV News reported on 16 January that Mozambique's disaster agency counted 103 deaths since late last year, from drowning, lightning, collapsing buildings and cholera. Zimbabwe reported 70 deaths, South Africa at least 19 in Limpopo and Mpumalanga, and Madagascar 11. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said Limpopo received about 400mm of rain in less than a week.

Kruger National Park was closed, and around 600 tourists and staff were taken by helicopter to higher ground. In Mozambique, Africanews reported that more than 230,000 people were affected, according to the UN migration agency, and that Boane district near Maputo was cut off by road.

"The damage to our homes, our infrastructure and, tragically, the loss of human life is immeasurable." — Phophi Ramathuba, Limpopo premier, via Africanews

How each outlet framed it

• ITV News — the regional toll, country by country, and army rescues of people trapped on roofs and in trees.
• Africanews — Mozambique up close: schools used as shelters and residents crossing floodwater by makeshift boat.
• The Standard — the Kenyan paper, carrying AFP, stressed the rising South African toll and the warning of more rain to come.

Where the numbers differ: the death counts depend on the time period used. Africanews cited at least 8 deaths in Mozambique since 21 December and at least 30 in South Africa since November, while ITV used a count of 103 in Mozambique since late last year.