Thousands stranded after river bursts its banks

The authorities in Mozambique said on Wednesday they were prepared to assist thousands of families left stranded by flood waters after the Pungue river in the central province of Sofala burst its banks last week. "Many of the families in the surrounding areas are dependent on the river for farming and, therefore, live in areas which are close to the river - so it is very serious when water levels rise to such a high degree. In recent years, when the river burst its banks fields were flooded and houses destroyed. But we have yet to make a proper assessment to judge the damage," a spokesman for Mozambique's National Institute for Disaster Management (INGC), Rogerio Manguele, told IRIN. Manguele dismissed claims reported by local media that the delay by provincial authorities in responding to the situation had exacerbated the plight of people in need of assistance. "Provincial authorities have sent out tow boats to rescue those who are stranded. It is false to say that provincial government had not contributed to the rescue mission," he said. Meanwhile, the Mozambican Red Cross (MRC) said one of the main concerns was finding a suitable area for relocating the flood victims. MRC secretary-general Fernanda Teixeira told IRIN: "There will of course be the usual requirements, such as tents and emergency food supplies, but people would need an adequate place to live in before they decide to return to their homes." There were also concerns that the rising water could flood the main road from the port of Beira to landlocked Zimbabwe, forcing an interruption in traffic. "We are monitoring the situation very carefully and the a Red Cross team has also been positioned in the area," Teixeira added.