National Institute of Meteorology issues alert for heavy rain in the center of the country

Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia emite alerta para chuva intensa no centro do país

Yesterday, the National Meteorological Institute (INAM) warned of heavy rainfall over the next 24 hours in the central region of the country, highlighting Sofala province as one of the provinces most likely to be affected by the storms.

"We have a low pressure center in Sofala province and this system is bringing a lot of rain to the whole region," Geneth Roque, a meteorologist at INAM, told Lusa.

The first analyses point to rainfall of up to 50 millimeters in the center of the country, mainly in the provinces of Tete, Manica, Zambézia and Sofala, regions considered low-lying and at high risk of flooding, said the meteorologist.

"The water table is very close to the surface, especially in Sofala province. Even if it only rains 20 millimeters, we'll still have that scenario," said Geneth Roque.

Although the forecast doesn't point to a catastrophe, the meteorologist doesn't rule out the possibility of the situation evolving in the central region, provinces where memories of the devastation left by Cyclone Idai, which struck the region in 2019 leaving hundreds dead, are still fresh.

"Each phenomenon has its own characteristics and its own evolution. We can't say that something is a long way off because we don't know what lies ahead. The rainy season is still happening," said Geneth Roque.

In addition to central Mozambique, forecasts also point to more rain in the northern and southern provinces, including Maputo province, where the storms have already caused nine deaths and affected 39,225 people, according to data from the National Institute for Disaster Management (INGD).

"We'll have more rain in Maputo and the interior of Gaza province. Further north we also have a low-pressure system that will bring a lot of rain to Niassa [in the north]. So moderate to heavy rain is expected throughout the country over the next few days," he said.

Between October and April, the country is cyclically hit by floods, a phenomenon justified by its geographical location, subject to the passage of storms and, at the same time, downstream from most of southern Africa's river basins.

The 2018/2019 rainy season was one of the most severe on record in Mozambique: 714 people died, including 648 victims of Idai and Kenneth, two of the biggest cyclones ever to hit the country.

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