Massive flooding in Mozambique

Serious flooding has wreaked havoc in parts of Mozambique, as houses collapsed in many areas. Rescue efforts are underway to help people trapped by rising floodwaters in the country’s northern region.

UN officials said that the situation in northern Mozambique is worse than thought, days after Cyclone Kenneth ravaged the country.

The system struck the Africa nation on Thursday with winds of 220km/h which flattened whole villages.

Around 700,000 people are now thought to be at risk in the area as torrential rains continue.

Pemba is thought to be home to about 400,000 people, and the heavy rains have placed many in danger.

Landslides are a growing worry in the city’s Mahate neighbourhood, regional Ocha authorities said, while in the Natite neighbourhood houses have started to collapse.

The World Food Programme has reportedly begun giving out rations to stranded people, but destroyed roads have forced operations to end in the most isolated areas.

At least five people have died as a result of the cyclone, and nearly 35,000 homes have been badly damaged or destroyed, national authorities say.

 

Via BBC