Severe flooding across southern Africa is putting children and families at heightened risk of waterborne diseases, as damaged sanitation and disrupted access to safe water exacerbate a growing health crisis, according to Save the Children. Heavy rains have affected more than 1.3 million people across Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa, destroying homes, schools, and healthcare facilities, and disrupting essential services. In Zambia, over 4,000 households have been displaced, with more than 900 hectares of crops lost, while a cholera outbreak has already caused 240 cases and seven deaths, with children under 15 accounting for 26 percent of infections.
Mozambique has been particularly hard hit, with over 844,000 people affected, 181,000 homes flooded, and more than 300,000 students displaced due to school closures. In Zimbabwe, flooding and storms have killed at least 118 people, damaged infrastructure, and triggered surges in malaria and diarrhoea cases, disproportionately affecting children under five. South Africa reports 39 deaths, over 19,500 people affected, and extensive damage to roads, bridges, and healthcare facilities, raising the risk of outbreaks of waterborne diseases.
Save the Children is actively supporting families and children across the region, providing urgent access to clean water, sanitation, shelter, healthcare, and education, while working to prevent the spread of cholera, diarrhoea, and malaria. Aid workers stress that immediate intervention is critical to protect children’s health, nutrition, and access to schooling, as many remain displaced and exposed to unsafe water in the aftermath of the floods.
