Latest cyclone assessment

Cyclone Hudah which devastated northeast Madagascar last week, died down sufficiently to offset a further
humanitarian crisis in flood-ravaged Mozambique.

The UN Office for the Coordination of humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in its latest report this week that survey flights over the northern coastal areas in the path of the storm had shown some small rivers in the Quelimane area had overflowed marginally. "The town of Moma had some standing water in
the nearby area, while there is no visible damage by the cyclone," it said.

In the area between Quelimane and Pebane, it said some trees had been blown down causing damage to the roofs of houses. "Most of the roads seemed passable except the one between Naburi and Mualama," it said, adding a closer inspection would be required on the ground for a complete assessment. In Pebane, a damaged power line was under repair. The Pebane airfield appeared to be in good condition.

"It was concluded that it should be possible that the damages be repaired by the district level authorities without additional aid," the OCHA report said.

In the flood-ravaged south of the country, it said the water level of the Umbeluzi, Incomati and Limpopo rivers were dropping slowly. Further north, water levels of the Save river had increased slightly. The water level of the Buzi river near the second city of Beira, and its tributaries has dropped.