Mozambique readies for rainy season – Watch

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Mozambique readies for rainy season – Watch

8:48 CAT | 17 Oct 2022

Photo: Notícias

The National Disaster Risk Management Institute (INGO) is doing all the preparations for search and rescue operations arising from extreme weather events that may occur during the next rainy season 2022/2023 in Mozambique.

To gauge the degree of preparedness the INGO carried out, this Friday, a simulation of search and rescue operations of victims of extreme events, which took place at Pequenos Libombos Dam, in Boane district, southern Maputo province.

The exercise also helped to prepare the teams so that they can be promptly mobilized in the event of floods.

Speaking during the simulation, INGD chairperson Luisa Meque, explained that this is an exercise carried out annually to assess the level of readiness of the committees before the occurrence of extreme events, and should always be carried out before the rainy season

“This is an action that we have done annually to refresh our communities and this is an exercise that should be done continuously, with the communities being a key and important piece in the preparation of these actions,” she said.

She added that the simulation also enable to guide the community on prevention, mitigation and preparedness aimed at coping with disasters, as well as, with it, identify existing threats locally for the design and implementation of preparedness and response activities.

“Communities are exposed and vulnerable to risks resulting from various threats, hence it is important that the community members themselves be aware of these risks and vulnerabilities,” she stressed.

For the INGD Chairperson, one of the ways to develop this awareness and understanding within the community is through risk assessment by carrying out these simulation exercises.

She revealed that recent forecast suggest that the southern region of the country could register more rainfall compared to other regions of the country, during the next rainy season.

According to Meque, this situation could lead to flooding in some points, with emphasis on the regions surrounding the main river basins in the region.

“So far, if there are no changes, there will be more rain in the southern region compared to last season. It is still a forecast, we cannot be sure. That’s why we are careful not provide further information that could, in a way, misrepresent the whole process of developing our contingency plans,” she noted.

Present at the event was the special representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Disaster Management, Mami Mizutori, who was impressed with the exercise.

“I was delighted to see many women who on standby to protect communities in the face of possible natural disasters, and this is an experience we should pass on to other countries,” she stressed.

Watch the Miramar report.