Mozambique deployment concluded after flood rescue response
Specialist teams from UK International Search and Rescue (UK ISAR) have concluded a flood response deployment to Mozambique after extreme rainfall caused flooding.
The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) said 36 UK ISAR members were deployed to support the national response led by the Mozambican Government.
An initial group of seven specialists arrived on 20 January to assess conditions and coordinate with local authorities.
A further 29 personnel from UK fire and rescue services followed.
Teams deployed with four rescue boats, drones and specialist equipment.
The equipment was used to clear fallen trees and debris, assess affected areas from the air and carry out search and rescue operations.
During the deployment, teams carried out rescues from floodwaters and structures, including from a bridge and from a rooftop.
Teams checked and cleared residential buildings, schools and other public buildings to identify and assist people in need of rescue.
Men, women and children were rescued, including people who had been stranded in floodwater for several days.
Teams also delivered water and hundreds of kilograms of food to small, isolated communities that had been cut off by floodwaters and without access to food for up to a week.
Scale of flooding and UK ISAR activity reported
Weeks of heavy rainfall and flooding caused damage to homes and infrastructure, with estimates that up to seven hundred thousand people have been affected.
Some reports estimate that over half of those affected are children, with many hundreds of people trapped by rising floodwaters.
Local and international authorities reported major damage to health facilities and roads, with nearly 5,000 kilometres of roads damaged across nine provinces.
NFCC Chair Phil Garrigan said: “On behalf of the UK fire and rescue service, our thoughts are firmly with the people of Mozambique as they face the devastating impact of these floods.
“In response to the request for international assistance, specially trained UK ISAR firefighters have been on the ground, bringing vital flood and water rescue expertise to support local responders.
“I want to pay tribute to our teams for their professionalism and commitment, and to the Mozambican authorities and partners who are working tirelessly to protect lives.”
Lee Ivory, UK ISAR Deputy National Coordinator, said: “The team has worked tirelessly throughout the operation to rescue and support as many people as possible.
“Their efforts were closely coordinated with the UK High Commission in Maputo and Mozambican government agencies.
“To date, they have carried out more than 80 life saving boat rescues, conducted extensive damage and needs assessments using drone technology, and delivered significant quantities of humanitarian aid.
“They have also played a role in coordinating wider humanitarian services on the ground.
“None of this would have been possible without the exceptional commitment and professionalism of volunteers from UK fire and rescue services and the medical team who joined them.
“Their dedication has been nothing short of extraordinary.”
The NFCC said the deployment was drawn from 14 UK fire and rescue services, alongside members of the UMT medical team.