5 000 families displaced in Moz storms
2012-01-20 22:30
Maputo - At least five people have been killed and more than 5 000 families displaced in flooding in Mozambique's southern region, government officials said on Friday.
Tropical storm Dando, which brought heavy rain, destroyed thousands of homes and flooded hundreds more. Dozens of schools and health centres were also severely damaged or totally washed away.
Agricultural lands in several districts are under water, wiping out crops. Livestock also perished in the flooding caused by rivers overflowing their banks.
Travel across the country is being hampered, after authorities banned cars from using certain key routes, where bridges and roads were damaged.
According to Sergio Buque at the National Institute of Meteorology, the storm has dissipated in the south and is heading north, with winds expected to reach top speeds of up to 105km/h.
The government said it was providing makeshift shelters and food to those affected, while warning those in vulnerable areas to abandon their homes and seek safety elsewhere.
In 2000, floods across Mozambique killed 700 people and left half a million homeless.
- SAPA
