According to the Tuesday bulletin from the National Water Board, over the last 24 hours the river has only dropped by one centimetre at Caia (from 7.42 to 7.41 metres). Thus the river at Caia is still over 2.4 metres above the flood alert level.
The situation on the lower Zambezi will certainly be eased by the continued reduction of discharges from the Cahora Bassa dam. The amount of water released by the dam fell from 3,602 cubic metres a second on Sunday to 3,319 cubic metres a second on Monday.
Despite these improvements, the DNA warns that the entire lower Zambezi from Mutarara, in Tete province, to the Indian Ocean will remain above flood alert level for the coming days.
The National Meteorological Institute (INAM) has warned that cyclone Pavio is approaching the southern Mozambican coast, and has issued a "blue alert".
Pavio is currently a category 3 cyclone. While not as destructive as categories four or five, this type of storm can cause significant damage to property, and can produce gusts of wind of up to 225 kilometres per hour (however, the winds reported for Pavio are 160 kilometres an hour).
INAM warns that, as from Wednesday the coasts of Gaza, Inhambane and Sofala provinces will be affected by the cyclone.
Moderate rainfall, accompanied by strong winds, is expected.
The rains brought by the cyclone are likely to raise the level of the Save and Limpopo rivers. There does not seem to be any immediate flood danger, but the southern regional water board (ARA-Sul) is warning people living in the river basins to remain on the alert.
SOURCE: AIM
