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The Associated Press
MAPUTO,
Mozambique - Flooding caused by heavy rain in Mozambique
has killed four people, left thousands homeless and destroyed
farmland, media reports said Sunday.
State
radio said the four deaths had occurred in the central Zambezia
province since heavy rains started falling last week. It
said about 17,000 people had been affected by flooding in
the province, but did not specify how many had lost their
homes, crops or livelihood.
Lucas
Chomera the provincial governor, who overflew the affected
districts of Namacurra and Maganja da Costa, told the state-owned
Sunday paper, Domingo: "It is a worrying situation.
Our priority is to save the population and provide food
assistance."
Mozambique
is still recovering from floods early last year which devastated
the southern and central regions of the country, killing
700 people and causing damage estimated at $600 million.
In the
latest floods, the Red Cross and other aid organizations
have been helping the victims, supplying them with food,
seeds and household utensils. Seven inflatable boats were
sent to the area to be used in rescue operations.
Flooding
also has hit the northwestern province of Tete and Beira,
capital of the central province of Sofala.
Radio
Mozambique reported that 24,000 people had been affected
by flooding in Tete. No deaths were reported there, with
people having been warned to move to higher ground.
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