MOZAMBIQUE: FLOODS AFFECT HALF A MILLION AS EUROPEAN UNION PARLIAMENT PLEDGES SUPPORT

The annual floods in Mozambique have again sown chaos and catastrophe in this unfortunate country, where around half a million people have been affected. 100,000 are homeless and with torrential rains and violent storms predicted for the next four days, the future again looks bleak. It will be remembered that last year, more than 700 people were killed by floods in central Mozambique. This year it is again the central part of the country that is affected, as the Zambeze river fills to overflowing point both from the rainwaters and the discharges from the massive Cahora Bassa dam, the largest in southern Africa. The Zambeze Valley is the area most affected, a vast area of one million hectares. Members of the European Parliament from Portugal, the former colonial power, have requested that the EU Parliament donate funds to help in an emergency aid program. Humanitarian aid will be channelled mainly into creating food supply chains and drinking water channels, apart from emergency medical aid to help prevent the inevitable outbreak of disease. An initial package of 2 million USD will be made available.

TIMOTHY BANCROFT-HINCHEY, PRAVDA.RU, LISBON