Over 500 People Removed From Flood Prone Areas In Zambézia
Maputo 20 Jan (AIM) – Over 500 people living in flood-prone areas in the Licungo river basin, in the central Mozambican province of Zambézia, have been removed to safe areas as part of measures to prevent and mitigate possible damage from the current rainy season.
According to the delegate of the National Institute for Disaster Risk Management and Reduction (INGD) in Zambézia, Nelson Ludovico, the removal of people was accompanied by awareness campaigns in Mocuba and Namacurra districts, where it is estimated that over 8,000 people are at risk from flooding.
“Greater attention in terms of monitoring the behaviour of the watersheds is being given to the Licungo basin, where the height of the river is so far oscillating, between five and 5.5 meters”, Ludovico said, quoted in Friday’s issue of the Maputo daily “Notícias.”
Since October last year until the first half of this month, the delegate added, the province has recorded heavy rains, accompanied by electrical storms and high winds, which have already caused 18 deaths. 37 other people were injured and 519 homes destroyed.
“The health and INGD authorities have already repositioned medicines and food to the districts considered critical in terms of natural disasters, namely Luabo, Mopeia, Morrumbala, Maganja da Costa, Namarrói and Namacurra”, he said.
The measure will be extended to other river basins, while monitoring access roads to avoid interruption in inter-district connections.
“In this school year, some 4,247 pupils may start lessons out in the open, due to the destruction of 179 classrooms by the heavy rain and winds that have been pounding the province since October”, Ludovico said.
(AIM)
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