© Disaster Management & Mitigation UnitFloods in Southern Province, Zambia, January 2022
The country's Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) said that, as of 17 January 2022, flooding had affected wide areas of Namwala District, Southern Province, which is situated close to the Kafue River. Flooding has inundated land and homes and disrupted the lives of at least 3,000 households.
The Red Cross also reported flooding in Choma district of Southern Province, close to Lake Kariba and the border with Zimbabwe. Around 500 families are thought to be affected and 110 households displaced.
Flooding has cut road access in parts of both districts, making it impossible for some affected families to relocate. Red Cross said affected communities are in immediate need of food, shelter, blankets, sleeping mats and mosquito nets, as well as water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) items.
DDMU issued warnings for heavy rain and flash floods on 13 January 2022, with heavy rainfall expected to continue until at least 23 January.
"According to the forecast, the InterTropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) is expected to move over southern parts of Zambia triggering storm development over North-western, Luapula, Eastern, Central, Copperbelt, Lusaka, Southern, and Western provinces. This is likely to cause continuous rainfall and in some cases heavy falls leading to flash floods and floods in low lying areas," DDMU said.
Zimbabwe
Flash flooding also recently caused damage to homes in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, situated on the border with Zambia and about 200km south west of Choma.
Media reported houses were destroyed after heavy rain that began 07 January 2022. Some roads were washed away and a bridge damaged. No fatalities were reported.
At 46.93S, 25.71E exists a jetstream that's circling Antarctica, running at this location at 255km/h @ -48c
To the North of this jetstream is 2 atmospheric depressions, one to the East of Africa @ 23.14S, 33.18E (rotatation Clockwise) and the other to the West of Africa @ 20.14S, 12.69E ( Rotatation Anticlockwise).
These 2 active depressions are extracting and funnelling very cold air off the jetstream from the South and channelling it straight across Zambia. This cold air meets the warmer equatorial air resulting in heavy rainfall.