Tens of thousands of people in Mozambique are being rescued as rising waters continue to devastate the southern African nation - marking the worst flooding in a generation.
Emergency teams from Brazil, South Africa, and the UK are involved in life-saving rescue operations.
For me, this is the first time I have experienced a calamity of this magnitude. Elders say a similar disaster took place in the 1990s, said 24-year-old mechanic Tomaz Antonio Mlau.
Mlau and his family, residing near Marracuene—approximately 30km north of the capital, Maputo—woke up to find their house inundated as the Inkomati River breached its banks. After waiting for rescue boats, they cautiously boarded and abandoned their belongings.
Rescue efforts have set up shelters at schools and churches accommodating about 4,000 displaced people, but food shortages are already presenting challenges. One resident, Aninha Vicente Mivinga, lamented that many children went without food on their first day at the shelter.
The mayor of Marracuene, Shafee Sidat, reported ongoing rescue challenges, revealing fears for over 10,000 residents affected. Current tolls indicate that 642,122 people across Mozambique have been impacted by flooding that has claimed at least 12 lives.
Residents are anxious about the uncertainty of returning home, with many houses destroyed and livestock lost. Farmers, such as 67-year-old Francisco Fernando Chivindzi, mourn the loss of their livelihoods, underscoring the extensive recovery that lies ahead.
As torrents of rain continue to saturate the region and the foreboding forecast of more rainfall looms, the situation in Mozambique remains dire.
