Heavy rains affecting northern Mozambique since the beginning of the year have left the district of Larde, in Nampula province, completely isolated, cutting off one of its main access routes and disrupting the supply chain of mining company Kenmare Resources, which operates heavy mineral sands in the region, according to the Mozambique Information Agency.
The disruption of the land connection to the district is due to the impassability of the dirt road linking Larde to the city of Nampula, which has been damaged in several sections, preventing the movement of people and goods. The situation has worsened the isolation of local communities, making access to essential services such as healthcare, education and humanitarian assistance more difficult.
Beyond the social impact, the isolation poses a significant risk to the local and national economy, given the strategic role of Kenmare Resources, one of the country’s largest exporters of heavy minerals. The Irish multinational operating in Larde relies on a logistics chain that depends on the regular movement of raw materials, inputs and workers, as well as the transportation of its output.
The provincial delegate of the National Institute for Disaster Risk Management (INGD) in Nampula, Anacleta Botão, confirmed the communication constraints with the district, noting that the road remains impassable. The Director of the National Emergency Operations Centre (CENOE), Ana Cristina, also acknowledged that the current rainy season is causing severe impacts in the central and northern regions of the country.
According to official data, the rains have cumulatively affected 42,073 kilometres of roads, of which 730 kilometres have been damaged, causing substantial losses to transport networks and hindering the flow of regional economic activity. Kenmare stands out not only for its high export production volumes, but also for its local content integration policy, involving Mozambican small and medium-sized enterprises in the supply of goods and services, thereby contributing to the creation of thousands of direct and indirect jobs.
The current isolation of Larde therefore represents an immediate threat to the sustainability of the miner’s logistics chain, as well as to the economic dynamics of Nampula, which is facing multiple challenges during the rainy season.
Source: Diário Económico
