“Our hearts go out to thousands”: SECAM President Joins Pope Leo XIV in Solidarity with Southern Africa Flood Victims

In his one-page message dated January 30, Cardinal Ambongo appeals to the international community, highlighting the acute needs that members of displaced families are facing. 

“We urge the International Community and all people of good will to provide prompt assistance to those living in various accommodation centers, who are lacking the most basic necessities,” he says.

Support is also needed “to help the affected communities restart their lives, rebuild their homes and livelihoods, and regain their dignity and hope,” SECAM President notes.

His call echoes similar appeals in the recent past. In In a January 30 solidarity message, the Inter-Regional Meeting of Bishops of Southern Africa (IMBISA) appealed for support for flood victims in Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and South Africa, where weeks of torrential rainfall have led to deaths, widespread displacement, and major infrastructure damage.

In the message, IMBISA members praised Pope Leo XIV for expressing his closeness to those affected. “We recognize with gratitude the unity and prayers expressed by our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, for the countries affected, urging the universal Church to be in solidarity with those experiencing this difficult time,” the Catholic Church leaders from the nine member nations of Southern Africa said.

Signed by IMBISA President Archbishop Liborius Ndumbukuti Nashenda of Namibia’s Catholic Archdiocese of Windhoek, the Catholic Church leaders further appealed “to humanitarian organizations, governments, and all people of goodwill to offer a helping hand to those affected by this tragic event.”

Catastrophic flooding has continued across Southern Africa following weeks of heavy rains, reportedly linked to a combination of La Niña and human-driven climate change. 

In Mozambique, search and rescue operations are ongoing in hard-to-reach areas such as Gaza and Manhica provinces, where roads have been cut off and access is possible only by boat. 

The death toll in the country is reported to be above 100, with hundreds of thousands displaced, and authorities have warned of grave public health risks, including cholera and other water-borne diseases.

Floodwaters have also pushed wildlife into populated areas, with crocodiles reportedly causing fatalities in towns such as Xai-Xai and Moamba. The Mozambican government has appealed for international assistance, noting that the scale of the disaster exceeds national response capacity.

In Zimbabwe, flash floods and sustained heavy rains have killed dozens, particularly in Masvingo, Manicaland, Midlands, and Mashonaland East, destroying thousands of homes and damaging roads and bridges. 

In South Africa, parts of the country, including Mpumalanga and Limpopo provinces, have been declared disaster areas, with evacuations carried out in places such as Kruger National Park.

Beyond episcopal statements, Church-based humanitarian agencies are grappling with the scale of the emergency on the ground. In a January 29 interview with ACI Africa, the Secretary General of Caritas Mozambique described the situation as “extremely complex and challenging,” noting that while floodwaters are receding in some areas, they continue to rise in others.

“Some rivers are showing a reduction in flow, allowing partial returns of displaced populations, while others continue to rise, forcing preventive evacuations,” Santos Pedro Gotine said, warning that insecurity remains high in many affected communities. 

Gotine stressed that the crisis exceeds available resources. He said, “The scale of this emergency goes beyond the resources available to us, and additional support from national and international partners is urgently needed.”

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The Caritas official in Mozambique explained that food and safe drinking water remain the most urgent needs, particularly for children. 

He also warned that families returning home face severe difficulties. “During their stay in transit centers, families had access to food provided by the Government and humanitarian organizations, including Caritas. Once they return home, the lack of coordinated food distribution becomes a critical obstacle to their survival,” he said.

Despite these challenges, Caritas Mozambique continues to mobilize local resources and has shared a rapid response proposal with partners, including Caritas Internationalis and Caritas Africa, as it seeks to prevent further deterioration of the humanitarian situation, Gotine said.

The appeals from Cardinal Ambongo, IMBISA, and Caritas coincide with repeated expressions of solidarity from Pope Leo XIV. 

On January 28, during his weekly Wednesday General Audience at the Vatican, the Holy Father said, “Dear sisters and brothers, my thoughts go out above all to the beloved people of Mozambique, struck by devastating floods.”

“As I pray for the victims, I express my closeness to the displaced and to all those who offer them support. May the Lord help you and bless you!” Pope Leo XIV said.

In his SECAM message of January 30, Cardinal Ambongo urged a response grounded not only in emergency aid but in shared human values. “Let us work together to respond to this crisis with compassion, solidarity, and generosity,” he said, adding, “May our collective efforts be guided by the values of justice, equality, and human dignity.”