106 Dead as Floods Ravage Mozambique

(MENAFN) Catastrophic flooding has trapped nearly 600,000 residents across Mozambique's southern and central territories, authorities confirmed in an official government statement.

The disaster has claimed 106 lives during the current rainy season through drowning incidents and lightning-related fatalities, official records show.

Gaza province has emerged as the epicenter of devastation, with the Limpopo Valley districts facing the most critical conditions. State administration minister and government spokesperson Inocencio Impissa briefed the press Monday, revealing that more than 380,000 victims are concentrated in this single province. He warned that ongoing search-and-rescue operations may uncover additional survivors isolated by surging floodwaters.

Provincial authorities have established 36 emergency shelters throughout Gaza to accommodate displaced families, with Chihaquelane hosting the largest facility, Governor Margarida Mapandzene announced.

"There are 327,000 people in the 36 reception centers. The water from the Limpopo River has already flooded the lower part of the city of Xai-Xai and we call for immediate evacuation of the population in that municipality," she said.

The deluge has submerged nearly half of Gaza province, completely obliterated over 150 kilometers of roadway nationwide, and compromised more than 3,000 kilometers of transportation infrastructure, Transport and Logistics Minister Joao Matlombe declared.

Maputo province has suffered devastating agricultural losses. The Mozambican Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries documented that raging storms and overflowing rivers have swamped and ruined 10,000 hectares of farmland.

This flooding crisis forms part of a massive weather system pummeling southern Africa, where torrential downpours have inundated vast stretches of Mozambique, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.

South Africa's Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces experienced severe flooding following weeks of continuous rainfall, resulting in at least 30 fatalities, thousands of damaged residences, and mandatory evacuations extending to Kruger National Park.

Zimbabwe has confronted similar devastation, reporting at least 70 deaths and 51 injuries, with more than 1,000 homes demolished since early January.

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