Mozambique: Rains in Neighbouring Countries Worsen Floods

The Mozambican meteorological office (INAM) has warned that the forecast for the next 24 hours is continued rain in Zambia, Zimbabwe and Malawi.

Much of this water will inevitably be funneled into the Zambezi valley, and so the National Water Board (DNA), in its Wednesday bulletin, warns that the level of the Zambezi, already in flood for most of its length in Mozambique, is likely to rise still higher.

The Minister of State Administration, Lucas Chomera, has warned that within two or three days all the islands in the Zambezi will be completely submerged. People living on the islands have already been evacuated.

The only comfort for residents of the Zambezi valley is that the Cahora Bassa dam has not increased its discharges again. They are remaining steady at 6,600 cubic metres a second.

The DNA warns the rain in Zimbabwe will also means slight increases in the levels of the other major rivers in central Mozambique - the Pungue, the Buzi and the Save. The Buzi and the Save had fallen below flood alert level in recent days, while the Pungue has remained ominously high, endangering traffic on the Beira-Zimbabwe road.

Meanwhile, the Mozambican Red Cross (CVM) has said it will make an appeal for international support if this years floods become worse than those of February 2007.

Eunice Mucache, the CVM projects director, interviewed by the Portuguese news agency LUSA, said the organisation already needs 136,000 euros (about 190,000 US dollars) for its relief work. "If the humanitarian situation gets worse, we shall launch an international appeal for help", she declared.

Money raised in this way, Mucache, said would cover the basic expenses of CVM volunteers stationed in central Mozambique. There are currently 274 volunteers involved in latrine construction and health education among the flood victims.