Data & Risk
Hazard & Risk Profiles8
Profiles of the hazards Zimbabwe faces — droughts, floods, cyclones, epidemics and more.
Agricultural & Hydrological Drought
Recurrent rainfall deficits driven by El Niño cycles devastate rain-fed agriculture, water supplies and livestock, triggering food insecurity across much of the country.
- Frequency
- Recurrent (every 2-3 years)
- Trend
- Increasing· climate-driven
Most affected provinces
Disease Outbreaks
Cholera, typhoid and measles outbreaks linked to water, sanitation and hygiene gaps strain the health system, notably the 2008-09 and 2018 cholera epidemics.
- Frequency
- Recurrent
- Trend
- Stable
Most affected provinces
Fall Armyworm & Pests
Fall armyworm and quelea bird invasions periodically threaten staple maize and small-grain harvests.
- Frequency
- Recurrent
- Trend
- Stable
Most affected provinces
Heatwaves
Rising temperatures increase heat stress on people, livestock and crops, compounding drought impacts.
- Frequency
- Increasing
- Trend
- Increasing· climate-driven
Most affected provinces
Riverine & Flash Floods
Seasonal flooding of the Save, Runde and Zambezi basins damages infrastructure, displaces communities and disrupts livelihoods, often following tropical systems.
- Frequency
- Seasonal (Nov-Mar)
- Trend
- Increasing· climate-driven
Most affected provinces
Severe Storms & Hail
Localised hailstorms and violent thunderstorms damage crops, roofs and power infrastructure during the rainy season.
- Frequency
- Seasonal
- Trend
- Stable· climate-driven
Most affected provinces
Tropical Cyclones & Storms
Systems such as Cyclone Idai (2019) bring extreme rainfall, landslides and destruction to eastern Zimbabwe, causing the deadliest recent disasters.
- Frequency
- Occasional (1-2 per decade, severe)
- Trend
- Increasing· climate-driven
Most affected provinces
Veld & Bush Fires
Dry-season fires destroy grazing land, plantations, property and biodiversity, worsened by prolonged dry spells.
- Frequency
- Seasonal (Aug-Oct)
- Trend
- Stable· climate-driven
Most affected provinces