Africa-Press – Mozambique. Abandoned or still flooded houses, streets with limited traffic and hundreds of displaced families is a scenario still commonplace in some Maputo city neighbourhoods affected by intense rain in February of this year.
In the Magoanine A, B and C neighbourhoods, Hulene, Maxaquene and Costa do Sol, among others, the situation is made worse by the inefficiency or lack of drainage systems. In addition to contributing to the outbreak of water-borne diseases, this affects the daily activities of residents, who have to wear rubber boots even to just move around.
Some people were forced to seek shelter in other places, part of a scenario where flooding caused not only material damage but also trauma in the lives of those forced to watch impotently as their possessions were swept away by the flood waters.
Angélica Mabunda, resident Bairro de Magoanine A Block 21 since 2009, is a clear example of someone who lost almost everything. She told Noticias that she only had time to collect her children and rush to the house of Adelaide Sigaúque, a member of the same church as her who, like many others, offered shelter to those affected by the floods.
Angélica’s family remained there for nine months, and only returned to their house because it was being vandalized by criminals, who stole a large part of the remaining goods.
Although the house offers little comfort or safety, with part of the residence still flooded, vegetation all around and garbage in the yard, Angelica says moving back was her best bet to avoid further losses. While she waits for the allocation of a new space to start over, life will continue in this location and in the same conditions, she says.
Some residents are however making use of abandoned spaces to grow food for the family table. One such is 90-year-old Sara Ngonhama, who grows vegetables that are tolerant to the waterlogged soil in Block 28.
Families still in reception centres
At least 63 families from the Magoanine A neighbourhood, corresponding to 232 people, 109 of which are minors, are still quartered in reception centres opened for those affected by the February flooding.
Noticias visited one reception centre where, according to coordinator Sérgio Teló, households temporarily living there receive assistance from the National Institute for Disaster Management and Reduction (INGD) and the National Institute for Social Action (INAS), by way of the Municipality of Maputo.
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