Deaths and damage as storms hit Mozambique regionpublished at 07:25 GMT 10 January 2022
Jose Tembe
BBC News, Maputo
Five people have been killed and 15 others seriously injured after
heavy rains accompanied by strong winds, thunderstorms and lightning left a
trail of destruction in Mozambique’s southern Gaza province.
The dead are victims of lightning strikes, said Bonifacio Cardoso,
the spokesperson of Mozambique’s National Institute for Disaster Risk Reduction
and Management in the area.
He asked people to take precautionary measures including by
staying indoors during thunderstorms.
The heavy rains that lasted for 24 hours over the weekend also destroyed
5,000 houses and six health centres have been partially submerged, he said.
It is estimated that more than 394,000 people could be affected by
floods in the province in the current rainy and cyclone season, which runs
until the end of March.
The Mozambican disaster agency has already deployed teams to the
area with boats, foodstuff, tents and blankets in readiness for the expected
flooding.
