Maputo flooded in heavy rains

29 Jan, 2010

Large parts of Maputo flooded on 27 January as a result of sudden heavy rain, the Mozambican news agency AIM reports.

The National Disaster Management Institute (INGC) has said that the flooding affected over 300 households in numerous neighbourhoods around the capital including Catembe, Costa do Sol, Inhagoia, Mafalala, Chamanculo, Mahotas and Benefica. The city council reported that people living in at least 80 homes were forced to spend the night in schools.

The flooding followed localised heavy rainfall lasting about 12 hours, which put a strain on the local drainage system. The build-up of plastic bags and other materials in the drains only compounded the problem and teams of workers had to be deployed to clear them manually.

The bad weather brought the city to a standstill, with the local