Cyclone IDAI damaged 0.25 million hectares of cropland and 37.5% are still underwater by 9th April in Mozambique

The Cyclone IDAI brought intense rains over 1000mm during the period of 13th to 26th March 2019 and resulted in severe disaster for Mozambique, particularly in central and southern provinces. Based on Sentinel-1 SARimageries, water extent during flooding periods and ten days after the flooding was retrieved, compared to water extent at the normal season.

Flood water extent occupied a total of 2,761,245.4 hectares (corresponding to 3.5% of the total country's area) of land from 13th – 26th March and 1,057,214.4hectares  (corresponding to 1.3% of the total country’s area) by 9th April. Figure 1 shows the remaining water extent by 9th April and the changes from the flooding period before 26th March. Gaza, Maputo, Inhambane and Sofala (about 12.3%, 6.1%,5.9% and 5.6% of the whole province flooded) are highlighted as the most affected provinces with 928,087.0ha, 137,047.7ha, 406,225.4ha and 381,248.8haof land inundated during the flooding period.

At district level, Chicualacuala, Chigubo and Mandlakazi in Gaza (with 238,891.0ha,226,816.0ha and 72,239.5ha land flooded respectively), Matutuine, Moamba andMagude in Maputo province (flooded area at 53,654.0ha, 28,895.3ha and 26,924.3ha,respectively),Panda, Mabote and Inharrime in Inhambane province (with 121,547.3ha, 53,460.7haand 47,171.4ha of land flooded, respectively) and Buzi, Machanga and Nhamatandain Sofala (with 130,259.9ha, 128,257.3ha and 30,611.5ha of land flooded,respectively) are highlighted as the most severe flooding districts.

By April 9th, about 61.7% (corresponding to1,704,030.9 hectares ) of flood water retreated after the flooding period. But Gaza, Maputo and Inhambane are still suffering, with an area of 462,872.5ha, 81,514.0haand 229,821.0ha of land flooded, accounting for about 6.1%, 3.6% and 3.3% of the whole province, respectively. Among these three provinces, Chicualacuala, Mandlakazi, Chockwe, Matutuine, Moamba, Magude, Panda, Inharrime, and Mabote still have large areas of land that have been flooded and not subsided yet.

Observations from the satellite shew that croplands were server damaged. A total of 251,060.0 hectares of cropland were under water during the flooding period, and 157,897.5hectares still remained flooded by April 9th, 2019. Croplands in Gaza province were mostly affected, accounting for 48.8% of total flooded cropland area nationally during the flooding period and 62.2% by April 9th. For each province, about 16.4%, 8.3%, 3.7% and 27% of cropland in Gaza, Inhambane, Maputo and Sofala provinces were covered by flooding water, corresponding to 122,501.2ha, 31,010.8ha, 11,020.8haand 15,391.4ha, respectively.

The districts where cropland was severely affected include Chibuto and Mandlakazi districts in Gaza province (with 25,281.9ha, 19,723.4ha  of flooded cropland area respectively), Jangamo and Homoine in Inhambane province (13,305.4ha and 3,753.2ha), Moamba and Magude in Maputo province (4,421.5ha and3,132.8), Buzi and Nhamatanda in Sofala province (9,724.7ha and 1,682.6ha).

Gaza, Inhambane and Maputo were still suffering from flooding and about 7.8%, 3.7% and 2.3% of cropland in each province were covered by flood water, corresponding to 58,590.7ha, 13,822.7ha and 6,744.9ha, respectively. The statistics for this period show that Chockwe and Chibutodistricts in Gaza province (with 10,999.0ha and 9,862.47ha of flooded cropland area respectively), Jangamo and Panda in Inhambane province(with 8,270.7.1ha, 1,223.1ha of flooded cropland area respectively) and Moamba and Magude in Maputo province(with 2,897.19ha and 1,724.9ha of flooded cropland area respectively) are highlighted as the most affected ones.

Figure 1. Water extension over Mozambique between 13th -26th March 2019 and 26th March to 09th April 2019.

Figure 2. Affectedcropland areas by floods from 13th March to 9th April 2019.