Floods return to Mozambique.

07 Jan, 2008

At least six people have died and thousands have been displaced from their homes as a result of heavy flooding in central Mozambique. The areas worst affected are along the Zambezi, Pungue, Buzi and Save rivers, where water levels have risen due to continued heavy rainfall in Zambia, Zimbabwe and Malawi. There is particular concern about heavy inflows of water into the Cahora Bassa lake on the Zambezi river in the north western Tete province, which has been forced to increase its discharge from 4,500 to 6,000 cubic metres per day, jeopardising homes and farmland downstream. Aid workers are now fearing a repeat of the devastating flooding of 2007, which was considered the worst in Mozambique for six years.

The situation in Zambia and Zimbabwe is also said to be critical and more rainfall is forecast for the coming weeks.