Zambezi reaches flood alert level

MAPUTO – As moderate to heavy rains continue to fall across central Mozambique, the Zambezi river has risen inexorably, and on Monday afternoon reached flood alert level at Caia, in Sofala province.

According to the latest bulletin on the state of the country’s rivers issued by the National Water Board (DNA), the Zambezi, measured at Caia, rose from 4,92 metres on Sunday morning to 5,12 metres at 15H00 on Monday. The alert level at Caia is five metres.Further downstream, at Marromeu, the river rose from 4,13 metres on Saturday to 4,34 metres on Monday morning.Continuing rainfall will make it very likely that the river will, within the next couple of days, reach the Marromeu flood alert level of 4,75 metres.The lower Zambezi is being swollen by the waters of its main tributary, the Shire, which is now threatening Megaza, in Zambezia province.The DNA warns that flooding is now imminent in the Pungue valley, west of Beira.It was raining heavily across central Sofala on Monday afternoon.and continuing rainfall will ensure that the Pungue breaks its banks in the area of the Mafambisse sugar plantation.The situation in the country’s other major river basins, however, is described as “stable”.There was a significant rise of the Limpopo river, in Gaza province, over the weekend, but the Limpopo remains a long way short of alert level.Nampa-AIMThe alert level at Caia is five metres.Further downstream, at Marromeu, the river rose from 4,13 metres on Saturday to 4,34 metres on Monday morning.Continuing rainfall will make it very likely that the river will, within the next couple of days, reach the Marromeu flood alert level of 4,75 metres.The lower Zambezi is being swollen by the waters of its main tributary, the Shire, which is now threatening Megaza, in Zambezia province.The DNA warns that flooding is now imminent in the Pungue valley, west of Beira.It was raining heavily across central Sofala on Monday afternoon.and continuing rainfall will ensure that the Pungue breaks its banks in the area of the Mafambisse sugar plantation.The situation in the country’s other major river basins, however, is described as “stable”.There was a significant rise of the Limpopo river, in Gaza province, over the weekend, but the Limpopo remains a long way short of alert level.Nampa-AIM