Cyclone sparks more flooding in Mozambique

BEIRA – Heavy rains from a cyclone sparked more flooding in Mozambique yesterday, worsening a humanitarian crisis that has already killed 45 people and forced 140 000 from their homes.

The Buzi river in central Sofala province overflowed its banks at dawn, threatening up to 145 000 people in the district, after the remnants of cyclone Favio pounded the area. “We are facing a serious flooding drama,” district administrator Sergio Moyane told Reuters in area capital Beira.”There are many houses under water and many fields have been swamped.”The cyclone slammed into the coast on Thursday, killing five people near the southern tourist town of Vilanculos, and although it was downgraded to a tropical storm, it brought pounding rains to a region already struggling to cope with flooding.Moyane said the storm damaged buildings as it swept through the area on Saturday, bringing downpours that filled the already swollen Buzi river.Sugar cane fields were in danger of being damaged, he added.Relief workers are battling to supply food and fresh water to some 140 000 people who have been displaced by flooding in four central provinces.The floods have killed 40 people and 53 000 people have moved to accommodation centres.Neighbouring South Africa and the European Union on Saturday both pledged more help for the relief effort.Further south near Vilanculos, a resort town that bore the full brunt of the cyclone’s 270 kph winds on Thursday, authorities were searching for affected people in the area.Nampa-Reuters”We are facing a serious flooding drama,” district administrator Sergio Moyane told Reuters in area capital Beira.”There are many houses under water and many fields have been swamped.”The cyclone slammed into the coast on Thursday, killing five people near the southern tourist town of Vilanculos, and although it was downgraded to a tropical storm, it brought pounding rains to a region already struggling to cope with flooding.Moyane said the storm damaged buildings as it swept through the area on Saturday, bringing downpours that filled the already swollen Buzi river.Sugar cane fields were in danger of being damaged, he added.Relief workers are battling to supply food and fresh water to some 140 000 people who have been displaced by flooding in four central provinces.The floods have killed 40 people and 53 000 people have moved to accommodation centres.Neighbouring South Africa and the European Union on Saturday both pledged more help for the relief effort.Further south near Vilanculos, a resort town that bore the full brunt of the cyclone’s 270 kph winds on Thursday, authorities were searching for affected people in the area.Nampa-Reuters