5,000 people cut off in Dondo – AIM report

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5,000 people cut off in Dondo – AIM report

11:57 CAT | 18 Jan 2017

panoramio

The torrential rains falling in parts of central Mozambique have left about 5,000 people in the interior of Dondo district, in Sofala province, without any road communication with the rest of the country.

Cited in Tuesday’s issue of the Maputo daily “Noticias”, the administrator of Dondo district, Graca Correia, said the situation was under control thanks to implementation of the government’s contingency plan for the 2016/2017 rainy season.

Nonetheless, the rains have left many roads impassable, cutting off the more remote parts of the district from Dondo town. Moving around the district is only possible by using boats.

The government has made two motor boats available, while traditional canoes are also ferrying people around areas where the roads can no longer be used. The main river passing through Dondo, the Pungue, measured at the Mafambisse sugar plantation, was 6.7 metres high at midday on Monday – this is 70 centimeters above flood alert level.

Further south, the Buzi river has burst its banks, and the ferry service across the river, between Guara-Guara and Bandua has been suspended. The road from Guara-Guara to Nova Sofala has become impassable.

Storms in the western province of Tete since December have destroyed 140 houses, mostly of flimsy construction, reports Radio Mozambique. 129 of these houses were in Angonia district, and the rest were in Magoe, Zumbo and Tete city. Damage was done to a further 60 houses.

Ibraimo Assuba, the Tete spokesperson for the Mozambique relief agency, the National Disaster Management Institute (INGC), told reporters that ten schools had been affected by the torrential rains and high winds, with parts of their roofs blown off, in Tete city and in Magoe, Marara and Changara districts.

Assuba added that one person had died when he was struck by lightning in Mutarara district.

The National Meteorology Institute (INAM) warned that thunderstorms, heavy rains and strong winds will continue throughout central Mozambique and in the southern provinces of Gaza and Inhambane during Tuesday and Wednesday

Source: AIM