Floods: 1 000s evacuated

2008-01-14 15:20

Maputo - Thousands of people in Mozambique who lost their homes in floods last year are being evacuated again as the rising Zambezi River threatens their resettlement camps.

At least 27 people had died in neighbouring Zimbabwe, where rains were reportedly the worst since colonial era records, washing away crops and worsening the country's economic woes.

And the international Red Cross in Geneva said the rain posed a flooding risk to five other countries in the region.

Mozambique's National Civil Protection Unit on Monday mobilised two boats to ferry 18&nbsnp;000 people from two resettlement areas in the northwestern province of Tete to safer ground as the United Nations Childrens Fund (Unicef) said it was stepping up relief efforts in the area.

10 Zimbabweans stranded

Torrential rains had prompted fears that floods this year could be worse than last year, after at least 40 people died and more than 120 000 had to leave their homes.

So far this rainy season, five people had drowned and two were eaten by crocodiles. An estimated 50 000 had moved out of their homes, and 30 000 more were believed at risk.

Zimbabwe's official Herald newspaper reported on Monday that at least 10 people had been stranded for five days on a river island in Masvingo, in the south.

They were trapped after water levels suddenly rose while they were crossing the river last week and there were now fears they would starve or drown.

The newspaper said efforts to rescue the villagers - which included two children - were being hampered by rising water levels and that local officials were asking for help from the Zimbabwean air force.

Disaster prevention operations

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said the floods also posed a risk to Zambia, Malawi, Lesotho, Swaziland and Madagascar.

"The weather forecast for the next seven days is not good, with more rain expected which could last until April," it said in a statement issued in Geneva. "If this happens, southern Africa will certainly face major flooding with potentially catastrophic consequences," he added.

Localised flooding was common during the southern Africa rainy season from November to March. Mozambique had improved its disaster prevention operations since flooding killed 800 in 2001.

Authorities said there were fears that the release of water from the Cahora Bassa dam would worsen the flooding on the lower reaches of the Zambesi river.

The economic cost to Mozambique, one of the world's poorest countries, was likely to be high, as severed transport links prevented the movement of supplies and raw materials.

The ministry of education said at least 49 schools had been swept away, and that pupils would have to use tents when the new school year starts later this month.

Unicef and the Save the Children Alliance said they would distribute tents and school kits to children evacuated to resettlement centres.

- AP