The National Meteorology Institute (INAM) is cited in Tuesday's issue of the daily paper 'Noticias' as predicting intermittent rains in the central Tete, Zambezia, Sofala, and Manica provinces on Tuesday and Wednesday, which is set to rise the levels of the Zambezi river in all hydrometric stations.
Because of this situation, the Disasters Management National Institute (INGC) is finding its operations more expensive, because it has to find means both to rescue people endangered by the floods and to assist those already rescued, since most roads were rendered impassable by the floods.
There is no communication by road between Mutarara and Doa, Sena and Chemba, Caia and Sena, Chemba and Chiramba, Mutarara and Morrumbala, Mopeia and Chinda, Tambara and Guru, among other towns, and helicopters and boats are to be detached to carry food for the rescued people.
'The interruption of the road access renders logistics difficult and operations become more expensive. After rescuing people, the boats have to transport foodstuffs. Also we still do not have enough tents for a better organization of the accommodation centres, but the situation will soon be overcome ', said Joao Ribeiro, INGC deputy director.
Tha accommodation centre of Chupanga, in Marromeu, in the Sofala province, where affected people from Luabo, in Zambezia, have been transferred to, is the only one that, so far, is still communicable by road.
Ribeiro said that the floods also affected some schools along the Zambezi valley, thus putting at risk not only the residents but also the running of the school year. He said that, for instance in Caia, two schools were flooded, affecting 2,159 students.
The Emergency Operations National Centre (CENOE) has been positioning fuel, foodstuffs, tents and boats in areas to accommodate victims of the floods.
Meanwhile, the Water National Directorate (DNA) says in its most recent bulletin that the level of the Zambezi river will continue rising during the next few days, particularly in Mutarara, in the Tete province, and in Caia and Morromeu, in Sofala.
Besides the rainfall, both in Mozambique and in the neighbouring countries, the situation along the Zambezi river in Mozambique is worsened by discharges from the Cahora Bassa dam, despite a decrease in discharges, from 8,400 cubic metres of water per second on Sunday, to 6,640 cubic metres per second on Monday.
Also the basins of the Messalo, district of Montepuez, in the northern Cabo Delgado province, may record a rising because of predicted heavy rainfall.
The relevant authorities have been renewing calls for the people living in the risk areas to move to safer zones immediately.
SOURCE: AIM
