Maputo — Two people are known to have died in the torrential rains that devastated Maputo on Sunday and Monday, according to the Municipal Council.

Almost all the municipal districts were inundated. By Monday, according to municipal counsellor Anabela Inguane, cited by the independent television station STV, the Council knew of 10,000 households affected by the rains and the ensuing floods.

"This translates into about 42,220 people affected', said Inguane.

She said that 15 of the city's schools have been completely inundated, and the flooding has limited services in some of Maputo's health units. Classes in all schools have been suspended for the rest of this week.

The Council has opened 18 accommodation centres for people flooded out of their homes. They are currently sheltering 3,500 people, and the number could rise.

"We are providing food, mats, blankets, buckets and, in coordination with the INGD (the country's relief agency) tents, and a little of everything else they need', said Inguane.

"Our teams are working to clear the drainage channels', she added. "This will allow the water to flow normally'.

Some of the schools that are usable have been turned into accommodation centres. But if the situation continues for more than a few days, this will compromise the school timetable.

The schools are also being used as registration posts during the current voter registration ahead of the presidential, parliamentary and provincial elections scheduled for 9 October.

But the registration brigades cannot use schools that are flooded or are sheltering flood victims. As a result, it seems that voter registration will be interrupted in Maputo, Matola and much of the neighbouring areas at least until the end of this week.

The National Meteorology Institute forecasts a slackening of the rain in southern Mozambique as from Tuesday. But the forecast for the central and northern provinces is for heavy rain and thunderstorms.