At least 27 people have died as a result of heavy rains currently affecting Mozambique’s central province of Manica, according to updated figures released on Saturday afternoon.
Most of the deaths were caused by lightning strikes and by people being swept away by floodwaters. The worst-affected districts so far are Chimoio, Gondola, Sussundenga, Vanduzi and Macate.
The information was disclosed during a meeting of the Emergency Operations Committee (COE), attended by the Minister of Public Works, Housing and Water Resources, Fernando Rafael, who is on a working visit to the province, according to local media reports.
The visit forms part of efforts to monitor the red alert activated on Friday by the Council of Ministers due to the adverse weather conditions.
Since October, the rains have affected 7,961 people, representing 1,691 families across the province. In the education sector, 29 schools have been damaged, with 51 classrooms destroyed, directly affecting 5,942 pupils.
Authorities also reported that 619 houses were completely destroyed. In addition, 4,730 hectares of various crops were damaged, of which 271 hectares are considered a total loss, affecting 808 farming families.
On Sunday, Minister Fernando Rafael is scheduled to work in the districts of Sussundenga and Mossurize, where he is expected to visit areas severely affected by the bad weather, as part of the ongoing monitoring of response and mitigation measures.
President Oversees Flooded Areas in Gaza, Orders Rescue in Chókwè
Meanwhile, President of the Republic Daniel Francisco Chapo on Saturday carried out an aerial survey of areas severely affected by floods and inundations in Gaza province, particularly in the districts of Chókwè, Guijá and Massingir. The mission aimed to assess the humanitarian situation on the ground and reinforce rescue efforts for affected communities.
During the flight, the Head of State spotted around 12 people stranded on the roof of a semi-collective passenger vehicle, surrounded by floodwaters in Chókwè district. Faced with the critical situation, President Chapo instructed the crew to land at a nearby warehouse area and ordered the removal of seats from the aircraft to allow the immediate rescue of the citizens, in what was described as a strong gesture of humanism and solidarity.
“We could not ignore that situation. We saw people trapped for days, without food or shelter. It was our duty to act immediately to save lives,” the President said, stressing that the Government’s top priority is the protection of human life.
After the rescue, President Chapo spoke with the rescued citizens, who said they had remained at the site for about two days under conditions of extreme uncertainty. The affected residents expressed deep gratitude to the Head of State for his intervention and for the support shown during a moment of great distress.
