Flood aid for Mozambique

South African pilots helped during last year's floods

South Africa is to send aircraft and medical personnel to Mozambique to help the country's flood victims.

It follows an appeal by the Mozambican Government on Wednesday for $30m in flood aid.

At least 40 Mozambicans have died and more than 44,000 been forced to flee their homes recently, only a year after floods caused widespread devastation.

The authorities have opened the floodgates at the Cahora Bassa dam on the Zambezi river to prevent the dam wall from collapsing, but warn that this measure threatens the homes of a further 80,000 people.

Neighbouring Malawi is also severely affected by the floods, with over 200,000 believed to be displaced.

South African President Thabo Mbeki has ordered the military to send seven helicopters and three planes to provide humanitarian assistance to Mozambican flood victims, foreign affairs spokesman Ronnie Mamoepa said.

Pretoria will also provide food and medical supplies in an operation expected to cost two million rand ($256,000), Mr Mamoepa said.

South African pilots were widely praised for their role in last year's flood rescue effort.

Evacuation

If we have 10 helicopters we will be in a position to do a good job of evacuation

Mozambican official Silvano Langa

The Mozambican authorities have begun evacuating up to 80,000 people at risk from new flooding as water is released from Cahora Bassa.

Silvano Langa, director of the National Institute for Disaster Management, said rescuers had four to five days before water from the dam gets to towns downstream.

"Our major concern is Marromeu and Luabo where there are around 80,000 people. This is a very low lying area," said Mr Langa.

He said the dam was within 18cm (seven inches) of its critical level, and if water in the dam were allowed to rise any futher, there would be a danger of structural damage to the wall.

Thousands are displaced in Malawi

The Mozambican army has sent one helicopter to the threatened area, and another is to follow.

"If we have 10 helicopters we will be in a position to do a good job of evacuation," Mr Langa said.

While some 200 boats are also involved in the evacuation exercise, the surging currents are making them less efficient.

He said floods had cut off the main road from the port of Beira to the town of Caia near the Zambezi River.

Rains have washed away roads and bridges in the provinces of Zambezia and Sofala, hampering efforts to distribute aid by road.