Maputo — The National Water Board (DNA) has warned of possible flooding in basin of the Licungo river in the central province of Zambezia.

Tropical depression "Delfina" brought heavy rainfall to northern and central Mozambique at the start of the year, and this has swollen the rivers.

The Licungo was measured at 6.48 metres in Gurue on 3 January, well above the flood alert level of 3.5 metres, and 48 centimetres above what the DNA calls the "critical level".

Further downstream, at Mocuba, the second largest city in Zambezia, the river was measured at 4.38 metres, still considerably below the danger level of six metres.

The Zambezia provincial directorate of public works and housing has issued a communique, advising the district administrations to take appropriate measures, and to move people away from the river's banks.

The heavy rains have also affected electricity supplies. A sudden rise in the level of the Meluli river swept away four pylons on the line carrying power from the Cahora Bassa dam to the north of the country. The pylons were downed about 25 kilometres south of Nampula city.

As from Sunday morning, no power from Cahora Bassa has been able to reach Nampula, the ports of Nacala and Angoche, and smaller towns that usually draw their power from this line.