UNICEF has warnedthat severe flooding in Mozambique poses a “deadly threat” to children as extreme weather intensifies across the region. Speaking at a press briefing, Guy Taylor, UNICEF’s Chief of Communication in Mozambique, said heavy rains have triggered a rapidly escalating emergency just as the country enters its annual cyclone season, raising fears of a “double crisis” that will hit the most vulnerable communities hardest.

Preliminary figures show that more than 500,000 people have been affected by the floods, over half of them children. The southern provinces of Gaza and Maputo are among the worst hit, with rising water levels forcing more than 50,000 people to flee their homes and seek shelter in overcrowded temporary camps.

UNICEF warned that flooding has severely disrupted access to essential services, including clean water, healthcare, nutrition, and education. As a result, children face increased risks of disease outbreaks, interrupted schooling, and heightened protection concerns, particularly for girls and adolescents. Taylor highlighted the dangerous combination of waterborne diseases and malnutrition, noting that nearly 40 percent of Mozambican children were already chronically malnourished before the floods, a situation now at risk of deteriorating into acute, life-threatening malnutrition.

In response, UNICEF is working closely with the Mozambican government and humanitarian partners to assess needs and deliver aid. In Gaza and Maputo, efforts are focused on supporting displaced families, while in Sofala Province, water, sanitation, and hygiene supplies have already reached at least 13,000 families. Reflecting the severity of the crisis, President Daniel Chapo has reportedly canceled his planned trip to the World Economic Forum to oversee the national emergency response.