Overall Orange Flood for Eswatini, Madagascar, Mozambique, South Africa, Zi
in Eswatini, Madagascar, Mozambique, South Africa, Zimbabwe

Event summary

Flood Eswatini, Madagascar, Mozambique, South Africa, Zi can have a medium humanitarian impact based on the magnitude, exposed population and vulnerability.

GDACS ID FL 1100745
Death: 65
Displaced: 176131
Countries: Eswatini, Madagascar, Mozambique, South Africa, Zimbabwe
From - To 19 Jan - 31 Jan

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Tropical Cyclone Eloise, Madagascar, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, South Africa and eSwatini, January 2021Tropical Cyclone Eloise formed over the Indian Ocean on 17 January 2021, moving west-south-west towards north-eastern Madagascar. As of 20 January, Red Cross in Madagascar reported wind damage and flooding in Antalaha district. UNOCHA reported on 20 January that more than 1,000 people have been directly affected in Madagascar, at least one died, and more than 50 houses were destroyed, as Tropical Storm Eloise passed through Antalaha, Maroantsetra, Vavatenina and Toamasina districts. The storm flooded 134 houses and destroyed 56, while nearly 100 classrooms were impacted, including 87 that were damaged and 11 destroyed, OCHA added. Eloise made landfall in Sofala Province, Mozambique, early on 23 January. INGD reported a total of 163,283 people affected across the provinces of Zambezia, Sofala, Manica and Inhambane. The worst hit areas are in Sofala province, where 6,768 people are displaced. A further 91 were displaced in Manica. INGD said 3,343 homes have been damaged, 1,069 destroyed and 1,500 flooded, and a total of 136,755 hectares of farmland flooded. Eloise weakened into a tropical depression as it crossed Mozambique on 23 January, bringing heavy rainfall to parts of southern Zimbabwe, northern and eastern South Africa and parts of eSwatini (Swaziland). In Zimbabwe, UN OCHA said heavy rains caused flooding, mudslides and destruction of infrastructure in Manicaland, Mashonaland East and Central, Matabeleland South and Masvingo provinces. 3 people died after being swept away by flood waters in Chipinge, Manicaland Province. Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) said the Tokwe Mukosi dam was discharging a combined average of 16 cubic meters (16000 litres) per second, as of 25 January. Areas downstream have been placed on high alert. In South Africa, SA Weather Service reported heavy rain in parts of Limpopo, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal provinces and from 27 January in Northern Cape province. On 04 February the government of Mpumalanga Province confirmed that 10 people had died "during the heavy rains that followed the tropical storm which reached the Province last week. Most of the fatalities were attributable to drowning as a result of the flooded rivers." Later authorities in the provinces reported 10 dead and 7 missing in Limpopo, 8 dead in KwaZulu-Natal and 3 dead in Northern Cape province. Note: Although the damage assessments were reported in early February, authorities said the fatalities / damages occurred in January, and are therefore included here as a result of TC Eloise.Tue 19 Jan 2021Provided by Copernicus EMS GloFAS
Detailed event map. European Union, 2026. Map produced by EC-JRC.
The boundaries and the names shown on this map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the European Union.

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Exposed population

Data, images, links, services and documents

For this events, GDACS has links to information from the following sources: EC-JRC (36), NASA (3), WMO (1), INFORM (2), (1),