South AfricaFlood Warning
Floods worsen in Southern Africa — Officials in economically ravaged Zimbabwe issued new warnings Wednesday of floods, as fears grew that flooding in neighboring Mozambique would be more extensive than in 2001 when 800 people died. Mozambican authorities said at least 60,000 people had been evacuated and 22,000 houses were under water. Zimbabwe said Wednesday that flooding risks were on the increase as the water flowing from the Zambezi into the Cahora Bassa dam in Mozambique was pushed back upstream into the Muzarabani and Dande areas of Zimbabwe where at least 600 villagers have already lost their homes, crops and livestock in flood waters. At least 27 people have died in Zimbabwe, where rains since early December are reportedly THE HEAVIEST SINCE RECORD-KEEPING BEGAN in the colonial era. Most of the victims were swept away by flooded rivers. In rain-lashed towns, drinking water and power outages have worsened. The peak of the rainy season is due in mid-February.
