A flood as bad as the one in 2000 is hitting southern and central Mozambique and is worsening. More rain is expected today and tomorrow, and more flood waters will come in rivers from South Africa and Zimbabwe, which have also been hit by torrential rain. All the dams in the south are full and so any incoming water continues down the rivers.

On Friday the Limpopo River was 3.4 metres above flood alert level and the towns of Chóckwè and Guija were under water:

The main north-south N1 road is flooded or washed out in several places in Maputo and Gaza provinces and all north-south road access is cut. National Roads Administration (ANE) Deputy General Director Miguel Coanai on Saturday warned motorists that it is impossible to leave Maputo going north. Rivers rose faster than many expected, leaving more than a thousand vehicles trapped on high ground between flooded parts of road. The photo is of a bridge in Chóckwè from the INGC

LAM has put in special flights between Maputo and Xai-Xai. The railway to Zimbabwe is also cut.

A minibus was trapped in the flood yesterday near Chóckwè and 12 people were spotted standing of the roof of the van, already under water. President Daniel Chapo was flying in a helicopter over the zone and landed at a nearby airstrip and sent the helicopter to rescue the 12 people, including a baby:

Parts of Matola, Maputo and Boane in Maputo province are also flooded; the Umbaluzi River was 2.4 m above flood alert level and the Incomati 3.5 m above. There is also flooding in Sofala (particularly Buzi) and Manica provinces, with the Buzi and Pungue rivers above flood alert.