Mozambique: 2,400 families affected by flooding in Maputo – Photos | Lusa

Login

Register

http://www.clubofmozambique.com/

Mozambique: 2,400 families affected by flooding in Maputo – Photos | Lusa

4:27 CAT | 09 Feb 2023

A flooded house in Maxaquene neighbourhod following rains since 07 of February in Maputo, Mozambique, 09 February 2023. About 2,400 families were left homeless, and dozens of houses flooded in the Mozambican capital.[Photo: Lusia Nhantumbo/Lusa]

Heavy rains that fell in the Mozambican capital, Maputo, caused flooding and affected about 2,400 families, a civil protection source told Lusa on Thursday.

“We have about 2,400 families that are in a critical situation because they suffered flooding or have their access roads blocked,” said Esselina Muzima, delegate of the National Institute for Disaster Management (INGD) in Maputo.

“We are paying special attention to these families,” she said during a visit to flooded neighbourhoods, with no injuries reported.

READ: Mozambique: Rains take their toll in Maputo city and province – Watch

Mozambique is in the middle of the rainy season and, in the case of Maputo, there has been a steady worsening since Tuesday, reaching more than 100 millimetres in 24 hours on Wednesday and during the early hours of today, she noted.

“This rainfall has resulted in flooding in almost all municipal districts,” she said.

The first action of the relief teams is focused on “increasing the capacity of river water drainage, suction, pumping and cleaning of ditches,” Muzima said.

Urban flooding in Maputo and its surroundings is recurrent at this time of year.

“We have risk maps,” she said, explaining that INGD has called on the population “to constantly clean and maintain the water courses” in areas at high risk of flooding.

At the same time, there is awareness-raising activity to increase the resilience of housing, most of which is precariously built.

The INGD delegate noted that from year to year, “new areas are appearing” subject to flooding, adding that there may be signs of impact “from climate change”.