600,000 people affected by flooding

Maputo, 20 Jan (AIM) – The Mozambican government announced on Monday that almost 600,000 people have been affected by the catastrophic flooding that has engulfed much of southern and central Mozambique.

The government spokesperson and Minister of State Administration, Inocencio Impissa, told reporters that the epicentre of the disaster is Gaza province, with the Limpopo Valley districts of Chibuto, Chokwe, Guija and Xai-Xai in need of most attention.

Of the 600,000 people affected, said Impissa, over 380,00 are in Gaza. But the true number could be considerably higher since search and rescue operations are continuing to pluck stranded flood victims off rooftops and out of trees.

Between 22 December and Monday (19 January) the government had been notified of 11 deaths as a direct result of the floods. But taking the entire rainy season so far (beginning in October 2024), the known death toll stands at 106 – this figure includes people drowned in the floods, those struck by lightning during thunderstorms, and the victims of a cholera outbreak.

Since many of the flooded areas cannot be reached by boat, the government mobilised six helicopters and four light aircraft to participate in the rescue operations.

Mozambique Airlines (LAM) arranged two flights a day between Maputo and Chonguene, the only international airport in Gaza. Given the small capacity of the aircraft, they cannot have made much difference.

Further south, in Maputo province, the main north-south highway, EN1, remains cut at Incoluane, about 100 kilometres north of the capital.

The Incomati flood waters swept across about four kilometres of EN1 on Saturday. The National Roads Administration (ANE) has been unable to reopen the road, and so no traffic can enter or leave Maputo. Hundreds of people were trapped at the break in the road, and have been forced to sleep in their vehicles for three nights.

A release issued by the ANE on Monday said that technical teams “are on the ground, continuing to monitor the situation, and as soon as it has been normalised, the public will be informed”.
(AIM)
Pf/ (343)