After two weeks of isolation owing to the intense flooding that has ravaged Mozambique since January, the main road access to the tourist village of Macaneta, in Maputo province, was reopened today, albeit with restrictions. The information was given by Shafee Sidat, mayor of Marracuene, who is leading the restoration effort in collaboration with the concessionaire Revimo and the National Roads Administration (ANE).
The R804 road, whose toll plaza was completely submerged, suffered considerable damage. "The road has been opened with restrictions, only for vehicles under 10 tonnes", Sidat explained, stressing that the floodwaters dug a “very large hole” and destroyed essential pipes along the route.
At the peak of the rising waters, only the tops of trees and palms were visible. Road signs and toll booths emerged partially, betraying the depth of the submersion. Traffic will also be restricted at night, operating on a stop and go system whenever necessary, so that repair work can continue.
On the outskirts of the capital, the municipality of Marracuene currently maintains eight active reception centres, supporting about 3,600 people displaced by the floods.
The impact of the floods, worsening since the start of the rainy season in October, is devastating: according to the National Institute for Disaster Management and Risk Reduction (INGD), 153 deaths, 254 injuries and 844,372 people affected have been recorded.
Since 7 January, 229 health facilities, 316 schools and five bridges have also been hit. In the agricultural sector, the damage is equally profound: about 440,842 hectares have been affected, of which 275,405 are considered lost, with direct consequences for 314,780 farmers. In addition, 408,115 animals — including cattle, goats and poultry — have been reported dead.
Given the magnitude of the catastrophe, on 16 January the Mozambican Government declared a national red alert. The international response was swift: humanitarian aid has already arrived from the European Union, the United States, Portugal, Angola, Spain, Timor-Leste, Switzerland, Norway, Japan and several neighbouring countries.
