31 December 2008
Maputo — The National Meteorology Institute (INAM) said in Maputo on Tuesday that there is a strong likelihood that Mozambique could see rainfall above average during the next raining season, between January and March 2009.
However, there are few exceptions in the northern parts of the country, in the provinces of Nampula and Cabo Delgado, where rainfall it is expected to be below normal.
Low levels of rainfall, could also affect the coastal areas of the central province of Sofala and Inhambane in the south of Mozambique.
This was disclosed during a workshop for Assessment of the First Rain Season (October - December) 2008 and Update on Seasonal Forecast for the period January - March 2009.
Also present at the meeting was the National Water Board (DNA) that presented the Hydrological Behaviour for the period October - December (first rain season) and the forecast for the second January - March 2009.
Belarmino Chivambo, from the Department of International Rivers under the DNA, said that while the water levels in the river basins of central and southern regions of Mozambique had been bellow normal levels, there is a chance of an increase, should torrential rains continue to persist upstream.
The situation at the Zambezi River Basin remains stable at the hydrological stations of Caia and Marromeu, but with an eventual increase of water levels in Zumbo, where the Zambezi River enters Mozambican territory, the current trend might change.
Currently, the Southern African region is under strong influence of a ridge of high pressure associated with a convergence zone (low pressure), resulting in increased humidity, creating favourable conditions for the occurrence of rain.
According to Chivambo, the authorities have already raised the alert on the Púngoè Basin, in Mafambisse district, central province of Sofala.
The coastal river basins in southern province of Inhambane are still below alert levels, but still vulnerable to flooding in the event of heavy rainfall.
However, said Chivambo, water storage in Mozambique's major dams has reached adequate levels for the next farming season.
For its part, the Ministry of Agriculture briefed on the impact of heavy rainfall or drought on farming, explaining that in some parts of Mozambique the soil is already saturated as a result of the heavy rains brought by the first season, and this could eventually lead to flooding.
Meanwhile, the local authorities of the districts lying along the Zambezi and Púnguè and Búzi rivers, in the central province of Sofala, are busy persuading the communities based on the flood prone areas to move to safer areas.
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