Mozambique floods based on satellite data

Cyclone IDAI brought intense rains in excess of 1000 mm during the period of 13th to 26th March 2019 and resulted in a severe disaster for Mozambique, particularly in central and southern provinces. Based on Sentinel-1 SAR imagery, water extent was retrieved during the flooding period and ten days after, and compared to the spatial extent of water during normal seasons.

Flood water covered a total of 2,761,245 hectares (corresponding to 3.5% of the total land area of the country) from 13 to  26 March and 1,057,214 hectares (corresponding to 1.3%) on 9 April. Figure 5.5 shows the extent of residual water on 9 April and the changes from the flooding period before 26 March. The Provinces that were most affected include Gaza, Maputo, Inhambane and Sofala, where 12.3%, 6.1%, 5.9% and 5.6% of the whole area was  flooded, respectively,  which corresponds to 928,087 hectares, 137,047 hectares, 406,225 hectares and 381,248 hectares.

The breakdown of the most severely affected areas by district is as follows (in hectares): in Gaza Province, Chicualacuala 238,891, Chigubo 226,816 and Mandlakazi 72,239; in Maputo Province, 53,654 in Matutuine, 28,895 in Moamba and 26,924 in Magude; in Inhambane Province, Panda 121,547, Mabote 53,460 and Inharrime 47,171; in Sofala Province,  Buzi 130,259, Machanga 128257 and Nhamatand 30,611.

By 9 April, about 61.7% (corresponding to 1,704,030 hectares) of flood water had retreated. But Gaza,Maputo and Inhambane were still suffering, with still flooded areas of  462,872 hectares, 81,514 hectares and 229,821 hectares, amounting to  6.1%,  3.6% and 3.3% of the whole province area , respectively. The districts of Chicualacuala, Mandlakazi, Chockwe, Matutuine, Moamba, Magude, Panda, Inharrime,and Mabote still had large areas where floods had not subsided yet.

Observations from the satellite showed that croplands were severely damaged. A total of 251,060 hectares of cropland were under water during the flooding period, and 157,897 hectares were still under water by 9 April. Croplands in Gaza Province were the most affected, accounting for 48.8% of total and  62.2% of the residual by 9 April. About 16.4%, 8.3%, 3.7% and 27% of cropland were submerged in Gaza (equivalent to 122,501 hectares), Inhambane (31,010), Maputo (11020) and Sofala (15391), respectively.

The districts where cropland were severely affected include Chibuto and Mandlakazi  in Gaza province (with 25,281 hectares and 19,723 hectares flooded respectively), Jangamo and Homoine in Inhambane province (13,305 hectares and 3,753 hectares), Moamba and Magude in Maputo province (4,421 hectares and 3,132 hectares), Buzi and Nhamatanda in Sofala province (9,724 hectares  and 1,682 hectares).

Gaza, Inhambane and Maputo were still suffering from flooding by April 9  and about 7.8%, 3.7% and 2.3% of cropland in each province were submerged, corresponding to 58,590 hectares, 13,823 hectares and 6,744 hectares, respectively. The statistics for this period show that the most affected districts include Chockwe and Chibuto in Gaza province (with 10,999 hectares and 9,862 hectares of flooded cropland area respectively), Jangamo and Panda in Inhambane (8,270 hectares and 1,223 hectares) and, in Maputo province, Moamba (2,897 hectares) and Magude with 1,724 hectares.

Figure 5.5 Waterextension in overMozambique between 13th -26th March2019 and 26th March to 09th April 2019.

Figure 5.6 Affected cropland areas byfloods from 13th March to 9th April 2019