The southern provinces of Maputo, Gaza and Inhambane, are the regions that have been hit the most by the drought, while the floods inundated vast areas in the central provinces of Sofala, Manica, Zambezia and Tete.
The donation includes over 10 tones of rice, 70 boxes of cooking oil, 160 boxes of maize meal, 540 blankets and 34 tents.
Speaking during the ceremony, on behalf of the Mozambican government, State Administration Minister Lucas Chomera said that the donation would contribute to relieve the impact of natural disasters still afflicting Mozambique.
According to Chomera, Mozambique is currently in the process of resettling those who have been displaced by the floods.
To that end, the government has identified safer locations on higher ground where new houses are to be built with better materials. The resettlement process covers more than 30,000 families.
On the occasion, deputy director of the Natural Disasters Management Institute (INGC), Joćo Ribeiro, announced that Saudi Arabia had also joined the movement supporting the victims of adverse weather conditions having donated 100 tones of Tamaras (date palms).
Meanwhile, the INGC is currently promoting trade fairs where people from the coastal areas are travelling inland to exchange their produce with other goods in possession of the displaced.
According to Ribeiro, current INGC's activities are also focused in the semi-arid areas, among which the districts of Funhalouro, Mabote in Inhambane and Massangena and Chibuto, in Gaza, that experienced low levels of rainfall in the last season.
Currently, there are about 520,000 people who could face famine in the southern regions of Mozambique due to poor harvests caused by poor rains.
SOURCE: AIM
