The National Meteorological Institute (INAM) is intensifying its alert in view of the occurrence of bad weather in the southern region of Mozambique. In a statement issued on Friday 5 April, the agency reiterates that the provinces of Maputo, Gaza and Inhambane will be under heavy rain, accompanied by thunderstorms and gusty winds.
According to the note, in Maputo province, the districts of Matutuine, Namaacha, Boane, Moamba, Magude, Manhiça, Marracuene and the cities of Maputo and Matola will be affected.
In Gaza, the districts of Massingir, Chókwe, Chonguene, Bilene, Limpopo, Mandlakazi, Chicualacuala, Mapai, Massangena, Mabalane, Chigubo, Chibuto, Guijá, Chongoene and the city of Xai-Xai will be affected.
“Zavala, Inharrime, Funhalouro and Mabote will be the most affected districts in Inhambane province,” he said.
To Diário Económico, INAM meteorologist Acácio Tembe explained that the situation will occur as a result of the passage of a low-pressure system, describing that rainfall could reach 50 millimetres in 24 hours, with a strong possibility of causing flooding.
“We expect the weather to worsen from tonight (Friday), with heavy rainfall of between 30 and 50 millimetres for Maputo, Gaza and Inhambane. During the weekend, we will continue to experience some rain, with a tendency for it to intensify on 8 April,” he clarified.
Tembe emphasised the urgent need to increase the monitoring and dissemination of information, given that the soils in the southern region are still saturated due to the rains of recent weeks.
Preliminary data indicates that the current rainy season in Mozambique, which began in October, has already killed 135 people and affected a further 116,334. Of the total number of deaths, 57 were caused by lightning strikes, 31 by cholera, 24 by drowning, 20 by houses collapsing and three by animal attacks.
The 2023-24 rainy season also caused 181 injuries, the total and partial destruction of 6,348 houses and the flooding of another 10,473, as well as damaging 652 boats and 26,354 hectares of crops, 5,589 of which were considered lost.
Mozambique is considered one of the countries most severely affected by global climate change, facing cyclical floods and tropical cyclones during the rainy season, which runs from October to April.
