Moz braces for worst floods in 10 years
2011-01-07 22:07



Maputo - Heavy rain in Mozambique in the next two months could cause massive floods comparable to devastating downpours that killed hundreds of people 10 years ago, a disaster management official said on Friday.

"Above normal rainfall is expected because we have La Nina. It's a probability," said Dulce Chilundo, director of the National Emergency Operation Centre, referring to the phenomenon of extensive cooling across the Pacific Ocean.

Mozambique's meteorological institute measured almost 100ml of rain at Maputo international airport on January 5, twice the amount used to classify strong rains.

Mozambique's average yearly precipitation is 500ml.

"It is a lot like the phenomenon in 2000," Chilundo said. "Then much rain fell from January 30. By February 3 authorities declared floods."

At the time 800 people were killed by the worst floods to hit the country in 50 years. Financial damages amounted to $419m.

British consulting firm Maplecroft in 2010 rated Mozambique the second country in the world most vulnerable to natural disasters after Haiti, which was hit by a massive 7.0 magnitude earthquake 12 months ago.


- AFP

Would they be better or worse off if they knew the difference between ml and mm?