Maputo — The water management boards in the southern and central regions of Mozambique are calling on people living near the banks of the Maputo, Incomati, Limpopo and Buzi rivers, to take the necessary precautions to prevent damage to property caused by the rise in the level of these rivers due to persistent heavy rains in those areas and in the neighbouring countries.

The Southern Regional Water Board Management said that road traffic between Moamba and Sabie, in Maputo province, through the bridge over the Incomati river, has been interrupted because of flooding.

The Limpopo river, in Gaza province, has been recording a steady rise since Wednesday morning, and this rise may reach flood alert level in the area of Combomune sometime on Thursday. The authorities are constantly monitoring the situation, and are warning the public to heed any warnings.

In the central region, readings at the Goonda hydrographic station on the Buzi, show that the river's height reached the alert level of five metres at 09:00 hours on Wednesday.

In the central province of Manica, the ferry across the Lucite river has been paralysed because of floods. Two districts in Manica, Tambara in the north of the province, and Mossurize in the south, have been isolated from the rest of the province and the country because of the floods.

Sources in the health authorities said that a team of technicians, heading for Mossurize, with medicines for fighting cholera, failed to cross the river and had to go back.

If the river remains impassable, the only alternative will be to go to Mossurize via Zimbabwe.