15 February 2008
Maputo — Despite the partial opening of a floodgate on the Kariba dam, the level of the Zambezi river in central Mozambique is slowly dropping over most of its length, according to the latest statistics from the National Water Board (DNA).
On Thursday there was a slight increase in the level of the river at Mutarara, rising from 5.43 to 5.45 metres, but at Tete city, and on the lower Zambezi, at Caia and Marromeu, the river continued to fall. However, from Mutarara to the mouth of the river, the Zambezi remains in flood.
Cahora Bassa lake continues to store much of the water entering Mozambique from the uipstream countries, and the Cahora Bassa dam was able to reduce its own discharges slightly - falling from 3,967 to 3,867 cubic metres a second.
The latest report from the National Emergency Operational Centre (CENOE) states that, as of 13 February, 102,350 people had been evacuated from the flooded river valleys. Most of these (87,813) were rescued from the flood on the Zambezi. 8,237 were evacuated from the Save valley, 3,738 from the Buzi valley, and 2,542 from the Pungoe valley.
There are still reports of people in dangerous areas refusing to leave. CENOE reports that 192 households at risk in Chinde district, near the Zambezi delta, are refusing offers of evacuation to a resettlement area. That offer may not be repeated, since CENOE has decided that the time has come to end the search and rescue missions, and concentrate on providing a decent life for the evacuated families in the resettlement areas.
But some of the resettlement areas themselves are threatened by the river. CENOE found that water was infiltrating under the top soil into the Sachombe resettlement area in Caia district, provoking the collapse of 20 houses.
The small town of Sena, on the south bank of the Zambezi, is also succumbing to the floods. CENOE reports that 242 houses, and part of a primary school, have collapsed in Sena.
In the north of the country, localized flooding is reported in parts of Niassa and Cabo Delgado provinces. The river Lugenda has burst its banks in Niassa, flooding parts of Mandimba and Majune districts. The Montepuez river is causing flooding in parts of the districts of the same name in Cabo Delgado, while further east, in the same province, the Messalo river has inundated Chai, Nairoto and Mlangalena.
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