Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Maputo (Agenzia Fides)- Over 180,000 homeless of whom 57,000 have lost everything. This is the result of floods in Mozambique this year which are worse that those in 2000/2001, according to Françoise Le Goff head of Red Cross organisation southern Africa area, who was speaking at a media conference in Johannesburg, South Africa.
“This year's floods are worse, not in terms of loss of life, but with regard to loss of harvests” said the official of the international aid organisation, who launched an appeal for the collection of 7.3 million dollars worth of urgent aid to send to affected people. In 2000 heavy rains followed by overflowing rivers caused the death of 700 people. Instead this year the authorities were able to warn the people of the danger and so drastically diminish the cost in human lives. So far only 7 people have been reported dead. Rescue work was prompt and thanks to co-ordination between the government and NGOs, it was possible to transfer over 71,000 people by boat from danger zones to safer places.
The most affected area is the valley of the Zambesi River in central Mozambique, and the valleys of the Pungue and the Save. The authorities are preparing to resettle more than 200,000 people from affected areas. An enormous task for one of the world's poorest countries and a serious blow for the national economy which in recent years had begun to show signs of dynamism.
Other vast areas of southern African have been affected by serious floods. The Red Cross intends to use the requested funds to assist for six months some 150,000 people not only in Mozambique but also in Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The UN World Food Programme has started distribution of food to the disaster victims. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 25/1/2008 righe 23 parole 310)
