Red Cross launches aid appeal for Mozambique flood victims

The Rhodesia Herald,

February 2, 1971

THE Portuguese Red Cross launched a countrywide relief appeal in Mozambique this morning to help the homeless and destitute tribesmen in the territory’s flood stricken Zambezia district.

As the water level in the disaster area continues to recede, the real extent to of human suffering is becoming known. Thousands are homeless, crops have been devastated and an unknown number of cattle have drowned.

The death toll rose to 25 today, and officials have repeated their belief that others may have been trapped in huts which are still under water in some areas.

The Red Cross is appealing for food and clothing for the tribesmen, and health authorities are taking steps to prevent an outbreak of typhoid. Supplies of vaccine and medicine in Quelimane, the major town in the disaster area, are considered to be adequate.

Today the authorities called in private building contractors to speed up reconstruction of the roads washed away by cyclone Felice’s 25in of rain in 48 hours.

Work is also under way to restore telephone links with the area. — Iana.

LESSONS FOR TODAY

◆ Mozambique was also called Portuguese East Africa (PEA), since it is a former Portuguese colony. ◆ Even before the talk of climate change, Mozambique’s proximity to the Indian Ocean has caused extreme weather patterns like tropical storms that cause devastations, loss of life, displacement and humanitarian crises. ◆ Tropical Cyclone Idai of 2019 was one of the worst tropical cyclone storms to hit Mozambique and neighbouring Zimbabwe and Malawi, at the turn of this century. It was the costliest storm that caused catastrophic damage, and a humanitarian crisis.

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