2015 Southeast Africa floods explained
| 2015 Southeast Africa Floods |
| Duration: | January 9–20, 2015 |
| Total Damages (Usd): | At least USD $300,000,000 |
| Total Fatalities: | At least 225 killed[1]
At least 153 missing
400,000+ displaced |
| Areas Affected: |  Malawi
 Mozambique
 Madagascar
 Zimbabwe |
The 2015 Southeast Africa floods, partially related to Cyclone Bansi and Tropical Storm Chedza, killed at least 176 people in Malawi,[2] 86 in Mozambique, and at least 46 in Madagascar over the course of a week while leaving hundreds more missing.[3] [4] [5] [6] [7] Vice President of Malawi Saulos Chilima stated that over 200,000 Malawian people have been displaced by the flood. About 400,000 African people have been displaced in total, and 153 were declared missing.[8]
Flooding began on January 14, 2015, subsiding at the end of the month.[9] Due to the flooding, the soil in some areas became over saturated and caused landslides, leading to more deaths.[10] The rainfall of Southeast Africa was recorded as being 150% higher than normal, flooding roughly 63,000 hectares in total.[11] [12] Through years of research, Africa is said to have shown a complex pattern of rainfall, causing droughts and floods in the same season. Much of the damage from the 2014-2015 rain season can be attributed to the effects of El Niño.[13] [14]
Effects by country
Malawi
Two weeks of heavy rainfall killed 176 people and caused US$450 million in damage, or roughly 10% of the country's GDP.[15]
Notes and References
- http://mg.co.za/article/2015-01-28-death-toll-rises-as-mozambique-weighs-up-flood-costs Death toll rises as Mozambique weighs up flood costs (Mail & Guardian News)
- Web site: Floods kill scores in Malawi, Mozambique . USAToday . 16 Jan 2015 . 25 Jan 2015 . Associated Press.
- Web site: "Dire" needs of southern African flood survivors unmet two weeks on - TRFN . Reuters Foundation . 23 January 2015 . 23 January 2015 . Reuters . 23 November 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151123150559/http://www.trust.org/item/20150123160911-7f0c3 . dead .
- Web site: Malawi floods kill 176 people . The Guardian . 17 January 2015 . 17 January 2015 . Associated Press.
- News: BBC News - Malawi floods kill 170 and leave thousands homeless. BBC News. 16 January 2015 .
- Web site: Flood death toll across Southern Africa reaches 260. Chicago Tribune. 21 January 2015.
- Web site: Madagascar tropical storm claims 46 lives. Yahoo! News via AP. 21 January 2015.
- News: Malawi floods devastation far worse than first thought. the Guardian. 2015-11-23. Clár Ní. Chonghaile. 10 February 2015 .
- Web site: Madagascar : Saison cyclonique 2014-2015 : Inondation et tempête tropicale Chedza - Rapport de mise à jour n. 13, Jeudi, le 29 janvier 2015. ReliefWeb. 30 January 2015 . 2015-11-23. fr.
- Web site: Madagascar storm death toll climbs to 68. ReliefWeb. 2015-11-23.
- Web site: South East Africa - Floods Hit Zimbabwe, Malawi and Mozambique - FloodList. FloodList. 2015-11-23.
- Web site: Chikoko. Rex. Flood-hit Malawi faces aid deficit. Mail and Guardian. 23 January 2015 . IAB. 23 November 2015.
- An Investigation of Interannual Rainfall Variability in Africa. Janowiak. John. 27 February 1987. Journal of Climate. 10.1175/1520-0442(1988)001<0240:aioirv>2.0.co;2. 1. 3. 240–243. NMC/MWS/NOAA. free.
- Winsor. Morgan. El Niño In Africa 2015: Weather Phenomenon May Devastate East African Farmers, Herders With Drought, Floods. Journal of Climate. 1. 240. IBT Media Inc. 10.1175/1520-0442(1988)001<0240:AIOIRV>2.0.CO;2. 1520-0442. 1988. free.
- Web site: Jeff Masters. Earth's 29 Billion-Dollar Weather Disasters of 2015: 4th Most on Record. January 19, 2016. January 19, 2016. Weather Underground. May 3, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170503053939/https://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/earths-29-billiondollar-weather-disasters-of-2015-4th-most-on-recor. dead.
