Families separated as floods cause chaos

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

By Claudina Lembe and Antonio Matimbe

Walking in the Zambezia Province of central Mozambique is currently chaotic and heart breaking. Children in tears who haven’t eaten properly in days are a common sight, after floods struck their homes.

Fields and houses are under water, schools and health facilities are damaged, and some people are trapped in isolated areas as roads and bridges have been destroyed.

"My father is trapped in the fields. He is hanging onto a tree" - Anabela, 13

As we stroll down the muddy roads we meet Anabela, a 13-year-old girl who shocks us with her story.

"My father is trapped in the fields. He is hanging onto a tree" says Anabela, with her folded hands on her chest, looking at the flooded area. It is almost as if she is hoping to see her father emerge from a passing canoe.  He left home early in the morning and headed for fields on the banks of Licungo River. When the river suddenly burst its banks and flooded the surrounding area, he became stranded.

Annabel and her family are some of the 90,000 people who have been affected by the flooding in Mozambique, which has so far claimed 58 lives.

After a few hours pass, people who have managed to escape the flooded fields start to arrive, but there is no sign of Silvestre, Anabela’s father.

Now, more desperate, a few family members brave the furious current of the Licungo River in a small canoe, but give in soon afterwards as the boat starts taking in water and forces them back.

“We can hear a person on a tree crying for help. We cannot do anything. This is the most painful part, you know someone is alive, but you cannot help them.” 

“We can hear a person on a tree crying for help. We cannot do anything. This is the most painful part, you know someone is alive, but you cannot help them,” a relative recounts.

Anabela fears for her father’s life.  

“I am so sad. I don’t know if my father will survive where he is,” the broken-hearted girl says, with tears rolling down her face.  

Tragically, Anabela is just one of the many children who have lost contact with their parents due to flooding in Zambezia province.

Temporary accommodation centres have been set up for those displaced by the heavy rains and overflowing rivers. There is need for water, buckets, tents, medication, food and mosquito nets. 

World Vision Mozambique has started providing assistance to those affected and is helping in search and rescue operations.

World Vision Mozambique has started providing assistance to those affected and is helping in search and rescue operations.

As we continue with our walk, we catch up with World Vision staff who are busy distributing family kits comprising of a bucket, blankets, jerry can and bed nets. World Vision is also assisting communities with soap, tarpaulins and water tanks.

At the end of our day we start to walk back to our base and pass through Anabela’s village.

We’re fortunate to be able to return home with good news – her dad has been rescued.