Africa-Press – Mozambique. A meeting of the Coordinating Council of Mozambique’s relief agency, the National Disaster Management and Risk Reduction Institute (INGD), on Monday adopted a contingency plan for the 2021-2022 rainy season budgeted at 10.6 billion meticais (about 166 million US dollars, at current exchange rates).
But currently only about 2.3 billion meticais is available – the plan thus faces a shortfall of 7.3 billion meticais.
The scenario envisaged by the INGD is that about 1.5 million people are likely to be affected by storms, floods, cyclones and other extreme events during the rainy season, which begins this month, and lasts until next March.
Chairing the meeting, Prime Minister Carlos Agostinho do Rosario said the forecast for the first half of the rainy season (October to December) is that the southern and central provinces will record rains above normal. For the first quarter of 2022, it is likely to be country’s northern region that will experience above normal rains
“As a result, there are great probabilities of floods on the Maputo, Umbeluzi, Incomati, Limpopo, Buzi, Pungoe, Savane and Licungo Rivers. It is therefore important that we do everything within our power to save human lives, and so we have to ensure timely planning for preparedness, response and recovery actions,” Rosario said.
The plan, he added, will answer various situations that might arise throughout the rainy season, which include not only flooding, but also the possibility of earthquakes, the management of the Covid-19 pandemic and care for the people displaced by the terrorist attacks in the northern province of Cabo Delgado.
“This contingency plan also includes the people affected by terrorism, armed attacks in the central region and the problems caused by the Covid-19 pandemic,” Rosario said. He pointed out that for successful implementation, there must be commitment at every level, from the government, cooperation partners, civil society and other stakeholders.
The INGD chairperson, Luisa Meque, stressed that the deficit of 7.3 billion meticais will be covered by national and international cooperation partners.
“The resources mobilised through various efforts should be channeled to the Disaster Management Fund for an effective response to several necessities resulting from the rainy season. There must be a great involvement of partners at national and international level, to answer the financial deficit,” Meque said.
She told reporters that boats and metal bridges to enable rescue missions are already available and will mitigate the impact of the rainy season.
