The helicopter, with a 2.5 tonne capacity, was hired from Kenya by the World Food Programme (WFP), because it was found that the strength of the waters has rendered all road and river transport to Grudje impossible.
WFP coordinator Peter Rodrigues, cited in Friday's issue of the Maputo daily "Noticias", said that this operation is starting immediately, because Grudje is completely isolated.
The National Emergency Operations Centre (CENOE), based in Caia, on the south bank of the Zambezi river, reports that one child was killed by the Buzi floods during the last 24 hours. A 70 year old man died on Tuesday and his body was only found about 40 hours later, as reported by Buzi administrator Sergio Moiane.
CENOE says that about 12,000 people have been directly affected by the floods in Buzi, 1,966 of whom are currently taking shelter in accommodation centres.
For the rescue operations, the relevant authorities have already sent a motorboat and fuel to the area.
The country's relief agency, National Disasters Management Institute (INGC), says that the flood situation in Buzi is under control, and the waters are subsiding.
INGC deputy national director Joao Ribeiro says that food distribution, the digging latrines and the identification of resettlement areas in Grudje is to start simultaneously. 2,000 tarpaulins were distributed on Thursday for shelter, and another 1,500 are to arrive this Friday.
SOURCE: AIM
