Storms destroyed homes and infrastructure in many provinces as rescue teams search for the missing

The death toll from heavy rains and flooding in Angola has risen to 42, with casualties reported across several provinces following last weekend's downpours, Televisao Publica de Angola (TPA) reported on Tuesday, citing official data.

Most victims were recorded in Benguela, the authorities said, while fatalities were also confirmed in Luanda, Cuanza Sul, and Malanje. Officials are continuing to assess the full scale of the damage.

The storms caused significant damage to housing and infrastructure, including fallen trees, flooding from overflowed retention basins and landslides. Nearly 685 infrastructure facilities were affected, while dozens of families were left in vulnerable conditions.

"In total, 55 families were affected, corresponding to approximately 275 people in a vulnerable situation, due to the collapse of homes mostly built with local materials," Angola's Civil Protection and Fire Department stated. The authorities reported the rains lasted from April 2 to April 6.

"We have to regret the loss of lives while other citizens are missing, forcing us to undertake a fight against the clock in the effort to locate, rescue and [provide] medical care," Angolan President Joao Lourenco said in a statement.

Clean-up and recovery operations have been launched, including water removal, debris clearance and assistance to affected residents.

Heavy rains that began in late 2025 have resulted in widespread flooding across parts of southern Africa, overwhelming drainage systems and causing rivers and dams to surge beyond capacity. In South Africa, prolonged downpours have inundated Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces, killing at least 30 people, damaging thousands of homes, and prompting evacuations, including in Kruger National Park.

Zimbabwe has also experienced extensive flooding, with at least 70 deaths, 51 injuries, and more than 1,000 homes destroyed since early January.

Late last year, Mozambique experienced a humanitarian crisis after weeks of intense rainfall. The government declared a Red Alert on January 16, signaling an urgent humanitarian crisis as heavy rains caused overflowing rivers and flash floods across the central and southern regions.

(RT.com)