Maputo — At least four people have died and around 50,000 have been affected by the heavy rain that has been falling, since Sunday morning, in southern Mozambique.
According to the head of the National Department of River Basin Management, Agostinho Vilanculo, who was speaking on Monday, in Maputo, at the Technical Council for Disaster Risk Management and Reduction (CTDGRRD), the deaths were recorded in Inhambane province, all caused by lightning strikes.
Vilanculo explained that "we had moderate to locally heavy rainfall. But in addition to Maputo Gaza and Inhambane, the central provinces of Manica and Sofala, and the northern provinces of Nampula, Cabo Delgado and Niassa were also affected by rainfall of between 100 and 300 millimetres.'
For the next 15 days, according to Vilanculo, the National Meteorological Institute (INAM) forecasts significant rainfall in the northern region, "due to the influence of the intertropical convergence zone with interaction of a system to the north-east of Madagascar.'
"It also forecasts rainfall of between 100 and 300 millimetres, and the coastal areas of Zambézia, Sofala, Inhambane, Gaza and Maputo will continue to be under the influence of the frontal system', he said.
For this reason, he said, the meeting of the CTDGRRD was proposing the declaration of a red alert.
"The measure aims to ensure an immediate response in the southern region of the country, after it was hit by the severe tropical storm Filipo on 12 and 13 March. This situation has been aggravated by the heavy rainfall on Sunday and Monday of this week, associated with an active cold front crossing the south of the country, which has had a significant impact on social and economic life and has favored the outbreak of water-borne diseases, as well as aggravating the conjunctivitis outbreak', he said.
According to Vilankulo, 27 accommodation centres have been opened, which are now housing 7,658 people.
Before the weekend's downpours, a total of 135 people had died, and 195 were injured in the rainy season, which runs from October to April.
On the other hand, according to a statement by the publicly-owned electricity company, EDM, as a result of the heavy rain, about 15,000 people were deprived of electricity, in Maputo province and City, as well as in Gaza and Inhambane provinces.
