In brief
A local politician from South Africa, Andile Mngwevu, was swept away by floodwaters in Mozambique, sparking a search and rescue operation. The flooding has caused significant damage and loss of life in the region, leading to South African helicopters being deployed to aid the affected areas.
In a display of regional solidarity, South Africa has dispatched a rescue team to Mozambique following the sweeping away of local politician Andile Mngwevu by floodwaters. The councillor from Ekurhuleni, east of Johannesburg, was caught in the deluge while visiting Gaza province with four others, of whom only one has been accounted for.
The floods, which have devastated large areas of Mozambique and some parts of South Africa, led to the cancellation of Mozambican President Daniel Chapo's trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that emergency helicopters are en route to assist with the critical search and rescue efforts.
The recent weeks have seen Mozambique suffer intense flooding that has severely impacted infrastructure and resulted in over 100 fatalities. Amid the ongoing rainy season and the approach of cyclone season, further instances of torrential rain are likely, which raises concerns about potential worsening of the situation.
