MAPUTO, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- The death toll from heavy rains has risen to 50 in Mozambique since the rainy season began in October last year, the National Disaster Management Institute (INGC) revealed in its latest update on Wednesday in capital, Maputo.
"Rains and heavy winds, sometimes accompanied by atmospheric discharges, mostly in northern Mozambique, have caused 50 deaths and affected another 129,683 people since the rainy season began in October last year," Paulo Tomas, INGC's spokesperson told reporters.
Tomas said that during the period heavy rains destroyed more than 21,000 houses, 667 classrooms, health facilities and other infrastructures.
According to the spokesperson, the situation is unlikely to turn for the better soon as the hydrological forecast for the next seven days points to possible urban floods in the cities of Maputo, Matola and Beira and erosion in Manica.
"From February 24 to March 4, moderate rainfall is predicted to occur in the southern and central regions. In the northern region, heavy rains are expected, and the accumulated precipitation may reach between 100 and 300 millimeters, "said the spokesman.
On early Monday morning, 17 people died when a garbage dump collapsed, engulfing seven shacks in the neighborhood of Hulene on the outskirts of Maputo. The mudslide was caused by overnight rainfall from Sunday to Monday.
