Forecast of heavy rains as cyclone is expected to hit Mozambique

After a relatively moderate week for rainfall, Mozambicans in Zambezia province would have to brace themselves for downpours over the weekend, Inyene Udoyen, reporting officer of the World Food Programme (WFP), said.

He said the tropical disturbance off the coast of Madagascar was being closely monitored, adding that for the rest of the week mild rainfall could be expected.

News reports on Tuesday said about 100,000 people in Mozambique's northern province of Tete's Mutarara district were at risk due to the worsening of the flood situation in that area.

Following recommendations by the National Disaster Management Institute (INGC), the authorities have started to evacuate some 17,000 people living in the Inhangoma area of the district, the daily Noticias newspaper reported.

The Mutarara district now has 20 accommodation centres, each sheltering between 500 and 1,000 flood victims.

Felicio Zacarias, provincial governor of Sofala province, told Noticias that there was enough food for flood victims in accommodation centres throughout the province. He denied that the situation in the centres was "deplorable" as news reports earlier said.

The Italian govenment has pledged 500,000 dollars to support the emergency rescue and evacuation operations in the country's flood- stricken areas.

An Italian cargo plane with medicines, tents and other equipment for flood victims has left for the central city of Beira, the country's embassy said.

An Italian delegation headed by Deputy Cooperation Minister Massimo Iannucci was expected in Maputo Tuesday.

About 70 people have died in this year's floods. Some 400,000 more have been affected and about 70,000 have been displaced.

(kil/dpa)