Parts of the lower Zambezi, notably the district of Caia, have been above flood alert level for the past four weeks, and the river is certain to rise still higher, with the Cahora Bassa dam increasing the discharges from its floodgates.
With the continued rush of water into Cahora Bassa lake, the dam was forced to increase its discharges from 4,512 cubic metres a second on Sunday to 5,170 cubic metres a second on Monday.
In just five days Cahora Bassa has more than doubled the amount of water pouring out of its floodgates. Of even greater concern is the fact that the current level of discharge from the dam is 400 cubic metres a second larger than at the height of the major Zambezi floods of 2001.
At Caia, the Zambezi rose from 6.32 metres on Sunday evening to 6.41 metres on Monday morning, according to the Monday bulletin from the National Water Board (DNA). That is almost one and a half metres above the alert level of five metres.
Further downstream at Marromeu, the river was measured at 5.71 metres on Monday - here the alert level is 4.75 metres.
At Tete city, however, the river actually fell by 20 centimetres, from 5.65 to 5.45 metres between Sunday and Monday.
But this trend is certain to be reversed once the latest increase in the Cahora Bassa discharges hits Tete.
The government's relief agency, the National Disasters Management Institute (INGC), has set up its Emergency Operations Centre in Caia and has boats and helicopters on hand to rescue anyone trapped by the rising waters. Assistance is also available from naval units of the Mozambican armed forces (FADM).
The INGC had contingency plans for dealing with serious flooding this rainy season, and had pre-positioned tents, blankets, chlorine for purifying drinking water, and other relief goods at key positions.
The DNA and the INGC have, for the best part of a month, been urging people living in flood prone areas to move to higher ground. The warnings have had some effect - thus 4,700 people living on islands in the Zambezi in Marromeu district have moved to safety.
SOURCE: AIM
