Nampula Badly Hit By TC Elita

[senorpepr]

Over 2,000 houses and other buildings were destroyed by the passage of tropical storm "Elita" across the northern Mozambican province of Nampula, on Thursday morning, reports Friday's issue of the Maputo daily "Noticias".

The meteorology authorities estimated the speed of the wind at about 26 kilometres per hour, and the amount of rain that fell at 55.5 millimetres. There are no reports of loss of life.

The most affected areas were in the districts of Memba, Nacala-a-Velha, and Mogincual, and Nampula city itself, where houses, mostly built in flimsy materials, were either completely destroyed, or severely damaged.

In Nampula, a local Islamic School suffered serious damage, alongside an unspecified number of other buildings of conventional material in the suburbs of Mutomote, Napipine, Muhala, Carrupeia, and Natikire.

In Nacala-a-Velha, the most affected suburb was Tielele, where some families are reported as having spent that night in the open.

The Nampula provincial government met on Thursday to discuss ways of helping the affected families, and has decided to mobilise all the means at its disposal for that effect.

The storm is still causing heavy seas, and warnings to shipping have been issued along the entire Mozambican coast, from Cabo Delgado in the far north, down to Sofala in the centre of the country.