Some 584,447 people, 7104 schools and 679 health units could be affected by Tropical Cyclone Gombe between today and tomorrow in the provinces of Nampula and Zambézia.

The information was shared this Wednesday in Maputo, at the third extraordinary session of the Technical Council of the National Institute for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (INGD), which analyzed possible impacts of this atmospheric system and mitigation actions.

The National Institute of Meteorology (INAM) warns for the occurrence of rain between 150 and 250 mm in 24 hours, affecting the districts of Angoche, Liúpo, Murrupula, Rapale, Mecubúri, Muecate, Nacarrôa, Monapo, Mongicual, Mossuril, Nacala, Ilha de Moçambique, in the province of Nampula; Pebane, Gilé, Mulevala, Mocvubela and Maganja da Costa, in Zambezia.

INAM also predicts moderate to high risk of urban flooding for the cities of Quelimane and Nacala-Porto, as well as rain erosion for Mocuba, Guruè and Morrumbala.

"The epicenter of tropical storm Gombe was already in the Mozambique Channel yesterday and with the potential to develop into a moderate tropical cyclone, with winds of about 160 kilometers and gusts of 180 kilometers," he said.

Meanwhile, the president of INGD, Luísa Meque, said that the institution has already pre-positioned 18 vessels ready to be used and seven mobile bridges mobilized during Tropical Depression Ana.

He indicated that food and non-food items have also been pre-positioned in strategic locations to ensure timely assistance to people.

"Many roads are conditioned and impassable, hence we are mobilizing equipment to ensure people are assisted. We are sensitizing communities to leave the risk areas as a mitigation measure to avoid deaths," he said.

He added that time is short, but technicians should begin actions immediately to raise awareness and remove people who remain in risky places.