Doubling of flood-induced bridge asset failure loss in Mozambique under 2050 climate

Mozambique, often impacted by severe flooding, faces challenges with its bridge networks, particularly due to climate change. Existing methods for evaluating flood-induced bridge asset failure loss lack a comprehensive national level risk assessment that includes a full spectrum of flood events and bridge-specific details. We introduce a new framework that quantifies flood-induced bridge failure loss nationally, incorporating climate change using an equivalent flood return period approach. This framework provides a continuous risk analysis, addressing the shortcomings of discrete flood return periods. Our analysis of 1,210 bridges in Mozambique indicates an annual expected values of bridge asset failure losses equivalent to 0.6 % of its 2021 Gross Domestic Product (GDP), or 83 million dollars. Under a high emission scenario, this loss could increase to 162 million dollars by 2050. The findings highlight the vulnerability of Mozambique’s bridges to floods with return periods of 500 to 1000 years, suggesting the need for revisions of bridge design codes. The framework’s utility extends beyond Mozambique; Other Global South countries can apply it to assess their bridge asset failure risks and strategically enhance bridge resilience. This method improves infrastructure management by identifying high-risk areas and justifying resource allocation for adaptation, enabling proactive responses to flood-induced challenges and enhancing climate resilience.