ENVIRONMENT-SOUTHERN AFRICA: Floods Devastate The Region

By Moyiga Nduru Reprint | | Print |

Moyiga Nduru

HARARE, Feb 11 2000 (IPS) - Heavy rains have caused havoc in four southern African countries leaving behind a trail of tears and destruction.

The rains, which began last week, are reported to have flooded parts of Mozambique, Swaziland, Botswana and South Africa leaving thousands homeless.

In Mozambique, more than 100,000 people are reported to have fled their homes in the capital, Maputo.

Reports from the city say the majority of workers are failing to turn up for duty due to continuous rains that have left bridges and roads damaged.

Some workers have been forced to walk for about 30 kilometres to the city, which is situated on the banks of the Indian Ocean.

At least four people are reported to have been killed after trying to cross flooded rivers in Central Mozambique. According to SABANEWS, a regional broadcasting project run by IPS, three of them died in Buzi River, and the fourth one was swept away by Mossurize River.

Numerous bridges throughout the province are reported to have been destroyed leaving thousands of commuters and vehicle owners stranded.

Roads linking the provincial capital, Chimoio, another town in southern Manica and Tambara municipality, in the north, have also been blocked.

SABANEWS says some of the region’s towns can now be reached either by boat or through neighbouring Zimbabwe, Mozambique’s western neighbour.

At least 38 people were Friday known to have been killed by overflows in South Africa, while many others are reported missing.

South Africa’s weather bureau forecasts at least three more days of heavy rain. Many of the rivers in Gauteng, Mpumalanga, North West and Northern provinces are reported to be flooded.

Roads have had to be blocked off because bridges are under water, and in some instances, overpasses have been swept away.

In neighbouring Botswana, the Gaborone Dam Thursday began overspilling as a result of the heavy rains, leaving roads flooded and homes destroyed in most parts of the country.

Residents trapped by the raging waters were reported to have been rescued by the Botswana Defence Force. The downpours have cut travel between northern and southern Botswana after a bridge on the main road linking the two areas has been submerged.

The overflow has also washed away rail tracks, causing the Botswana Railways to cancel train services. State-run Radio Botswana says torrential rains have left “many people homeless” in the country.

Swaziland’s capital Mbabane has also been devastated by the torrential rains which damaged powerlines plunging the city into darkness on Thursday.

There are growing fears that the affected areas may be hit by an outbreak of cholera and typhoid, as a result of the flooding.

The authorities in Mozambique have appealed to the international community to help people trapped by floods in the country.

Mozambique’s foreign minister, Leonardo Simao, told journalists this week that the government needs about three million US Dollars to buy rescue equipment.

He says more money is needed to buy food and other basic essentials for people made homeless by the overflow. According to Simao the situation is more serious in southern Mozambique than in other parts of the country.