JOHANNESBURG, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) -- Weeks of persistent heavy rainfall and widespread flooding have struck several countries in Southern Africa, including South Africa, Mozambique and Zimbabwe, leaving more than 200 people dead, destroying property and prompting large-scale evacuations and rescue operations.
South Africa's National Disaster Management Centre declared a national disaster on Sunday as heavy rains and flooding continued to batter northern parts of the country.
According to local media reports, continuous rainfall since late December has caused severe flooding in Limpopo Province, where at least 17 people, including two children, have died. Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Velenkosini Hlabisa said in a statement on Sunday that 20 people had been killed in flood-related incidents in Mpumalanga Province.
More than 1,600 homes and 31 schools have been affected in Limpopo, while over 1,000 homes in Mpumalanga have suffered varying degrees of damage. The flooding has also forced the partial closure of Kruger National Park, one of Africa's largest wildlife reserves, with more than 600 visitors evacuated after rising waters inundated access roads and campsites.
The South African National Defence Force has deployed two helicopters to assist with rescue operations and evacuate residents stranded in hard-hit areas.
In Mozambique, data released Friday by the National Institute for Disaster Management and Risk Reduction showed that at least 103 people have died following an unusually severe rainy season, with more than 200,000 people affected nationwide. About 173,000 acres of farmland have been left waterlogged, threatening food security.
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe's Department of Civil Protection said at least 70 people have died and more than 1,000 homes have been destroyed since early January, with schools, roads and bridges damaged or washed away by floodwaters.
Neighboring countries, including Madagascar, Malawi and Zambia, have also reported flooding and weather-related disruptions.
According to The Weather Channel, a slow-moving low-pressure system has brought repeated bouts of torrential rain across Southern Africa. The agency warned that further heavy rainfall is forecast in the coming days, particularly in South Africa, Mozambique and Zimbabwe, raising concerns of additional flooding. ■