Mozambique floods cut highway – tourism and freight disrupted
Officials report six deep breaks on the EN1 and widespread infrastructure damage, with about 150 km of national roads almost destroyed and roughly 5 000 km affected countrywide. Severe flooding in Mozambique displaced thousands and shut the National Highway 1 (EN1) between Maputo and Gaza for at least two weeks, severing the country’s main north–south corridor. Authorities have banned road travel in affected southern corridors, prompting shortages and price rises, and cutting access to key holiday routes – with South African travellers and freight operators among those impacted.
The government has activated alternative supply routes via sea, rail and air – including maritime cabotage between Maputo and Gaza and additional flights to Gaza, Inhambane and Vilankulo – as tourism businesses report cancellations and losses. Resorts around Xai‑Xai and Macaneta remain inaccessible, with properties flooded and operations halted, while preliminary assessments indicate over 180 000 hectares of cropland and more than 150 000 head of livestock lost.
Source: Caxton Network News