Mozambique’s relief agency, the National Disaster Risk Management Institute (INGD), has announced that the total number of deaths as result of floods, in the current rainy season, has risen to 242.
According to the INGD’s updated figures, made public on Thursday, the floods that have hit parts of southern and central Mozambique affected about 869,000 people since October.
“868,874 people have been affected in the current rainy season, corresponding to 200,790 households, with 12 people missing and 331 injured. Two more deaths have been recorded in the southern province of Gaza”, reads the document.
According to the report, in January alone, the floods caused at least 27 deaths and affected 724,131 people. The passage of Cyclone Gezani in the southern province of Inhambane, on February 13-14, caused four more deaths and affected 9,040 people.
A total of 15,312 houses were damaged, 6,151 were totally destroyed, and 183,824 were flooded during the current rainy season. In total, 302 health units, 83 places of worship, and 713 schools were affected over five months.
According to the INGD, 555,040 hectares of agricultural land were also affected during this period. Of this amount, 288,016 hectares were considered completely lost, impacting 365,784 farmers.
The floods also caused the death of 530,998 cattle, goats and other livestock. The heavy rain also destroyed 7,845 kilometers of roads, 36 bridges, and affected 123 aqueducts.
In order to respond to humanitarian needs, the authorities activated 149 temporary accommodation centres at the height of the crisis, which housed 113,478 people. 27 of these centers are still active, currently sheltering 20,297 people.
Source: AIM