Maputo – Mozambique is currently experiencing one of the worst floods in years, affecting over 600,000 people, more than half of them children. Over 50,000 people have been forced to leave their homes and are housed in 62 emergency shelters, many of which are overcrowded. According to UNICEF, this could be the start of an even bigger and worse disaster as the country faces its annual cyclone season. “
“The flooding problem has worsened with the opening of the four gates of the Massingiri Dam in Gaza Province. It is as if a sea has been opened up in a city. Everything has been flooded. Those in charge should have found a drainage channel first to minimize the damage to the population,” a Comboni missionary working in Maputo told Fides. “People are exhausted,” Sister Maria continues, “they are dying from hunger, poverty, natural disasters, and disease… We have run out of medicine because the Ministry of Health’s truck got stuck. The road from south to north is blocked; it is impassable, with gaps several meters wide! And I wonder why they do not send the medicine by plane or boat?”
“We are also lacking medication for the diabetics I care for daily,” emphasizes the missionary, who looks after heart patients at the hospital that serves the entire northern part of Mozambique. “I called the head of the supply depot and asked him to find other ways to transport the medicines and not to delay too long. I am tired of seeing people suffer. Every day they bring children in very worrying condition. One boy came and said to me, ‘Sister, I came alone because my father cannot cross the road since the bridge has collapsed due to the water, and you cannot get through by canoe.’ I told him it was good that he came. But what will become of all the others? We need God’s help,” the nun concludes.
Meanwhile, in light of the devastation that continues to ravage various regions of the country, the Archbishop of Maputo, João Carlos Hatoa Nunes, has sent a message of solidarity to the affected families and called for prayer, willingness to help, and concrete engagement from the Church and society. In a message published by the Mozambican Bishops’ Conference, the prelate laments the particularly painful time the country is experiencing and declares that, as Pastor of the Church, he feels called to offer words of comfort, solidarity, and encouragement, emphasizing that “the pain of our people is real and tangible and cries out for compassion.”
The Archbishop calls for spiritual and human unity and prays for strength for those who have lost everything and for courage for those dedicated to helping the victims. He also reminds us that the Christian faith is not limited to outward gestures but requires listening, discernment, and a responsible commitment to the most vulnerable and to the care of our common home. Archbishop Nunes also warns against engaging in divisive discussions filled with fruitless accusations and instead calls for a time of awareness, conversion, and commitment, in which faith is translated into concrete acts of love and solidarity. In this context, he refers to the relief effort of the Archdiocese of Maputo and encourages parishes and communities to join in to alleviate the suffering of the most vulnerable. In addition to providing immediate aid, he emphasizes the responsibility to care for our common home and to rebuild relationships so that Mozambique becomes more united and better prepared for future disasters, trusting in God’s protection and the power of hope. The prelate called for help for the many people who have lost their homes, possessions, and even family members, and are experiencing one of the most painful moments in recent memory.
Mozambique is a country of children and young people. More than 17 million people are under the age of 18, and the average age is just 17. UNICEF is calling for immediate action to avoid the worst.
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