2000 Mozambique Flood - Flooding

Flooding

The floods began on 8 February with a lot of rain across South Africa, Botswana and Swaziland. Mozambique received the most rainfall, the capital Maputo was flooded. Torrential rain continued to the 11th of February, in Mozambique's Limpopo Valley, the banks of the Limpopo River burst, causing severe flood damage and a dysentery outbreak in the local population. On 22 February, tropical Cyclone Leon–Eline hit the Mozambican coast near Beira. On February 27, flash floods overwhelmed low farmlands around Chokwe and Xai-Xai

Over 50,000 people were rescued from rooftops, trees and other isolated and flooded areas. This effort was at first carried out by only a few Mozambican naval vessels. The governments of South Africa, Malawi, and Mozambique provided a few helicopters to the rescue team. One of the devastating images of the flooding was Sofia Pedro giving birth in a tree while surrounded by flood water. She was then rescued by the South African Air Force who flew both her and her new daughter Rositha Pedro to Chibuto.

During the disaster, relief action by the government and international aid organizations was slow. Significant rescue equipment arrived from Europe and North America three weeks after the onset of the flood.

The flood had a tremendous effect on the agriculture of Mozambique. Children died from starvation, after being isolated with families on islands. 90% of the country's functioning irrigation infrastructure was damaged, causing the worst of the agriculture losses. 1,400 square kilometres of cultivated and grazing land was lost, leaving 113,000 small farming households with nothing. 20,000 heads of missing cattle were reported, many were feared to have drowned or contracted disease. Every major valley south of Beira was affected by the overflowing of rivers.

630 schools were closed, leaving 214,000 students and teachers without classrooms. 42 health units were destroyed, including Beira Central Hospital, the second largest in the country. Animals were found dead on the floor which were swept away by the amazing force of the water.

The Mozambican government requested $450 million in international aid at a donor conference held in Rome in early May, 2000. The navy and army played a major role.