Bad weather destroys homes in northern Mozambique

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Bad weather destroys homes in northern Mozambique

2:50 CAT | 29 Dec 2019

Bridge over Montepuez river on Thursday, . Its collapse on Saturday isolated seven districts: Meluco, Macomia, Muidumbe, Mueda, Nangade, Palma, Mocímboa da Praia, Quissanga and Ibo ( the last two only partially, all the others completely). [Photo: O País]

A total of 510 homes were affected by bad weather in the city of Pemba, in the northern province of Cabo Delgado, a source from the National Institute for Disaster Management (INGC) told Lusa on Friday.

“Of this number, 450 homes were partially destroyed and another 60 were devastated. But this is preliminary data,” said Elisete da Silva, INGC’s Cabo Delgado delegate.

The bad weather began on Thursday night, affecting the neighbourhoods of Eduardo Mondlane, Paquitequete, Natite and Cariocó, in the city of Pemba.

“The people whose homes were affected are staying with relatives or neighbours. It was not necessary to open a reception centre”.

On Thursday, the government warned of possible flooding in the districts of Pemba and Nacala-Porto, in the northern provinces of Cabo Delgado and Nampula.

In Nampula, according to INGC delegate in that province, Alberto Armando, there was no record of damage as the rainfall was weak and moderate.

“We will continue to monitor the situation because the forecast indicates more rain in the coming hours,” Alberto Armando told Lusa.

The ministry of public works warned of the rising waters in the watersheds of the Monapo, Lúrio, Megaruma, Montepuez, Messalo, Rovuma and Mecuburi rivers.

In April, some parts of Cabo Delgado province were hit by Cyclone Kenneth, which killed 45 people and affected another 250,000.

A month before Kenneth passed, central Mozambique was devastated by cyclone Idai, which caused 604 deaths and affected about 1.5 million people in the centre of the country, as well as destroying various infrastructures.

Between November and April, Mozambique is cyclically hit by cyclonic winds from the Indian Ocean and by floods originating in the watersheds of southern Africa.

In total, 714 people died during the rainy season in 2018/2019, including 648 victims of cyclones Idai and Kenneth.

Source: Lusa