Maputo — The Mozambican government has decided to allocate immediately 100 million meticais (4,200 US dollars) for the first phase of humanitarian relief for the victims of torrential rains which hit the northern province of Nampula at the weekend, in the wake of tropical depression "Delfina".
Although "Delfina" was supposed to have dissipated as the new year began, heavy rain continued, both in Nampula and in the neighbouring province of Zambezia. In Nampula city rainfall over 4-5 January was measured at 281 millimetres.
According to a note from the country's relief agency, the National Disasters Management Institute (INGC), the government is following the situation with concern, and, in addition to the immediate cash injection, is sending inspection teams and aircraft to the areas affected.
The storm caused torrential rains which contributed to the derailment of a goods train Sunday morning on the Nacala-Malawi railway, in which the driver died and another member of the crew was seriously injured. Two locomotives and 11 goods wagons were completely knocked off the rails. Assistance to clear the line may have to come from Malawi.
The preliminary estimates are that the homes of about 4,000 people were destroyed or damaged by "Delfina". Since this information does not cover all districts in Nampula, it seems certain that it will rise as more information reaches the provincial capital.
The flooding caused by the storm swept away at least two electricity pylons (though some sources speak of seven), cutting off the supply of electricity to Nampula city.
Nampula and other towns in the province have been forced to switch to other sources of energy - mainly obsolete oil fired power stations.
The Beira daily "Diario de Mocambique" puts the known death toll in Nampula city from the weekend storms at three. Meanwhile, the Zambezia provincial government met with its cooperation partners on Monday to discuss preliminary information from Pebane district on the threat posed by the rise in the level of the Ligonha river.
Another tropical depression was in the extreme north of the Mozambique Channel on Monday heading towards the coast of Zambezia. The National Meteorological Institute has warned that the depression will cause thunderstorms and heavy rains in the provincial capital, Quelimane, and in the coastal districts of Pebane, Maganja da Costa, Namacurra and inhassunge.
