Climate change worsened rains and floods which killed dozens in southern Africa, study shows

Friday, January 30, 2026-A new scientific study has found that human‑caused climate change significantly intensified the torrential rains that triggered catastrophic floods across southern Africa, contributing to a disaster that killed more than 100 people and displaced hundreds of thousands. 

Researchers from the World Weather Attribution group analyzed the recent extreme downpours — in which some areas received more than a year’s worth of rain in just days — and determined that climate change made these storms both more intense and more destructive than they would have been otherwise. The unusually severe rainfall overwhelmed homes, infrastructure, and emergency systems, exposing the vulnerability of communities already struggling with limited resources.

The floods pummeled Mozambique, South Africa, and Zimbabwe, leaving vast areas under water, submerging buildings, and sweeping away roads and bridges. Hospitals and clinics were destroyed in several regions, compounding the crisis by disrupting health services just as hundreds of thousands faced disease outbreaks and hunger. 

Scientists noted that while phenomena like La Niña naturally bring heavy rains to southern Africa, the warmer atmosphere caused by greenhouse gas emissions boosted rainfall intensity by roughly 40%, turning what might have been severe storms into devastating deluges that local infrastructure was not built to manage.

The study’s findings underscore the urgent need for climate adaptation and resilience planning across Africa and globally. Although the continent contributes only about 3–4% of global carbon emissions, it suffers disproportionately from climate impacts, prompting calls for wealthier nations to increase support for early warning systems, resilient infrastructure, and community‑centered climate models tailored to African conditions. 

With millions affected and recovery costs expected to run into the millions — if not billions — of dollars, experts stress that without rapid action on climate mitigation and adaptation, similar extreme events will become more frequent and more deadly.