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By Jose Tembe in Maputo BBC News
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| Thousands were displaced by last year's flooding
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Heavy
rains in Mozambique are continuing to cause damage.
Now
the road linking the Mozambican port city of Beira to Zimbabwe
has in effect been cut off by the flood waters of the Pungue
River in Sofala province.
The
death toll from flooding in neighbouring Zambezia province,
which was the first to be hit by persistent torrential rains,
has now risen to seven.
These
latest problems come at a time when the country is still
trying to get over the flooding of last year.
Road
impassable
The
Central Regional Water Board has warned motorists not to
use the Beira road because a bridge about 70 kilometres
west of the city is completely under water.
The levels of the Pungoe and Buzi rivers have been rising
rapidly following the torrential rains, which have been
falling in Sofala province since the weekend.
Buzi
was one of the rivers responsible for the catastrophic floods
of February last year.
The
water board says it is continuing to monitor the situation,
and is issuing alerts, warning people living in areas at
risk to seek higher ground.
In Beira,
dozens of houses built of flimsy materials have collapsed,
and many others have been invaded by the storm waters. About
1,000 people have fled their homes and taken refuge in city
schools.
Danger
to health
In Beira,
the rains have also soaked and dispersed piles of uncollected
rubbish. This poses serious risks to public health which
is already bad because of outbreaks of malaria and cholera.
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| Transport is getting difficult |
In
addition, fallen electricity cables have already claimed
two lives by electrocution.
The
death toll from flooding in the neighbouring province of
Zambezia, the first to be hit by rains and floods, has risen
to seven, with three other people reported missing and feared
drowned.
Transport
Minister Tomaz Salomao, who flew over flooded areas of the
province on Wednesday, described the situation in the small
town of Nante as serious.
Mr Salomao
said there is a need to reinforce the existing rescue means.
So far, there are 14 boats and two helicopters.
The
Zambezia provincial governor, Luca Chomera, says the province
needs more than $700,000 to cope with the heavy rains and
flooding. There is an urgent need to improve roads, water
supply, sanitation and food aid.
Mr Chomera
said priority would also be given to re-opening Zambezia's
access routes in order to normalise people's lives and facilitate
aid distribution, including seeds and agricultural tools.
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