29 December 2008
Maputo — The Pungue river has burst its banks in the central Mozambican province of Sofala, submerging hundreds of hectares of crops in Nhamtanda and Dondo districts, according to a report in Monday's issue of the Maputo daily "Noticias".
Peasant farmers have set out in small canoes into their flooded fields, harvesting what they can of their maize crop.
The Pungue rose rapidly over the weekend due to heavy rains both in central Mozambique and in neighbouring Zimbabwe.
Further south, in the city of Inhambane, the torrential rains of the past few days have driven almost 2,000 people from their homes in the worst hit neighbourhoods. Three temporary accommodation centres were established, and by Sunday they were providing shelter for 500 people.
In the neighbouring town of Maxixe, the rains damaged water mains, interrupting the supply of drinking water.
Roads throughout Inhambane province have been cut or are under threat. Traffic along the main north-south highway was interrupted when rains swept away the supports for a bridge over the river Chiotive. To prevent the total collapse of the bridge, the provincial government ordered the closure of this stretch of the road at Mahocha, between the towns of Morrumbene and Massinga.
It is possible to bypass the bridge - but that involves a detour of 100 kilometres along a road that will only take four wheel drive vehicles. Work is under way to repair the bridge as quickly as possible.
Other stretches of the highway have been eroded by the rains, and need emergency repairs. The road from Maxixe to the town of Homoine has been cut, and a deep ravine cut by the rains is in danger of isolating the Chicuque Rural Hospital from the rest of the province.
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