Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Maputo (Fides Service)- “This is the second such incident in this place and the most serious” Fides learned from local Church sources in Maputo where yesterday 22 March at least 80 people died and 360 were injured in a series of explosions in the country’s largest military arsenal situated near Maputo airport.
“An earlier explosion in January, far less serious, caused only injuries to a few people. The authorities promised to move the arsenal to a safer more isolated place but nothing was done” the sources told Fides. “The vast arsenal was built in the 1980s by Soviet engineers during the civil war (1975-1992), in what was then an isolated part of the country. However with the arrival en masse of people from rural areas, the area has become a suburb with some of the houses built right next to the wall of the military compound”.
The first explosions were heard at 4.30pm yesterday. “They continued for about 6 hours - Don Orioni missionaries tell Fides - and our St John Bosco parish was also affected with damage to the main door, some of the windows as well as tiles in the roof. In Bagamoyo and surrounding areas thousands began to flee their damaged homes and in the exodus many children were lost. We found some of them and gave them shelter and helped them find their families. Thieves were seen looting the abandoned homes. Rev José Geraldo lost no time in offering assistance to the needy”.
The authorities launched radio calls, asking people not to leave their homes. A curfew was imposed to prevent looting and Maputo airport was closed for security reasons.
“No one except the authorities is allowed in the affected area, not even to give first aid to the injured,” the sources told Fides. “Church personnel is visiting the injured in hospital, comforting the families of those of whom many were children and this renders the tragedy all the more serious”.
Reportedly thousands of tons of artillery ammunition and missiles produced in the 1970s and 80s are stacked at the arsenal. The old and highly dangerous material is prey to accidental explosions and, according to the authorities, temperatures of 30 degrees centigrade registered in Maputo over the past few days triggered the tragedy. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 23/3/2007 righe 37 parole 455)
