In January, UK ISAR deployed 36 personnel to Mozambique in response to severe and prolonged flooding across Gaza, Maputo, and Sofala provinces. Sustained rainfall, combined with high-volume dam releases, led to widespread inundation, significant infrastructure damage, and entire communities becoming isolated, with many areas accessible only by air or boat. More than 650,000 people were affected nationally, with tens of thousands displaced and local services under increasing strain.
Supported and funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), UK ISAR worked alongside national authorities, UN partners, and local responders to provide specialist flood response capability and humanitarian access support where it was most needed.
Operating from bases in Maputo and Xai-Xai, the team deployed four rescue boats, drone and thermal assessment assets, chainsaw and debris clearance capability, and command and coordination functions to create a flexible, self-sufficient response. This combination enabled rapid reconnaissance, waterborne search and rescue, and the safe movement of people and supplies into areas cut off by damaged roads and bridges.
Throughout the deployment, teams conducted boat-based operations to reach isolated homes, schools, and villages, carried out welfare checks, evacuated vulnerable residents, and supported the movement of medical staff and essential aid. Drone surveys mapped flood extent, identified stranded communities, and provided situational awareness to partners, while helicopter operations delivered over a tonne of food, water, and emergency supplies to settlements previously inaccessible.
Across multiple days of tasking, dozens of rescues were completed, and many more residents were assessed and supported in place. Close liaison with Emergency Operations Centres and local agencies helped prioritise effort where it had the greatest life-saving impact. Beyond direct rescue activity, UK ISAR personnel provided coordination, mapping, and planning support, improving efficiency across the affected provinces.
Conditions on the ground remained challenging, with high temperatures, long transit distances, receding floodwaters, limited fuel, and damaged infrastructure. Despite these pressures, welfare remained strong, safety systems were maintained, and personnel adapted to ensure operations were delivered effectively.
As water levels reduced and local capability strengthened, focus shifted to phased demobilisation and responsible handover. Equipment was cleaned, decontaminated, repacked, and essential items were formally handed over to in-country partners during the official transfer of critical donated equipment to Mozambique following the devastating floods impacting communities across the region.
The donation included specialist response assets such as rescue boats, outboard engines, emergency shelters, water purification systems, chainsaws, rope rescue equipment, winches, generators, and water safety gear. This equipment will directly support life-saving operations, strengthen community resilience, and assist ongoing humanitarian relief efforts following the UK ISAR deployment in Mozambique.
This deployment demonstrates the breadth of UK ISAR’s role, from frontline rescue to logistics, coordination, and partnership working. None of this is possible without the collective effort of deployed personnel and those supporting from home across planning, equipment, welfare, and command functions. Together, UK ISAR helped restore access, support isolated communities, and protect lives during a difficult and evolving emergency.
Our thoughts remain with the people and communities affected by the floods in Mozambique.
