Скачать или смотреть MOZAMBIQUE: FLOODING DISASTER: XAI XAI

(9 Mar 2000) English/Nat

Two weeks after floods devastated Mozambique, half of the provincial capital of Gaza province is still underwater.

In the city of Xai Xai businesses are submerged and road links to the outside world have been washed away.

Hundreds of angry people are struggling to leave the city.

This is the province of Xai Xai (pronounced shai-shai) about 150 kilometres (95 miles) north-east of Mozambique's capital, Maputo.

It's more than two weeks since the floods began to wreak devastation on the province, and residents are still cut off from their homes; their only suitable transport -- a rubber dinghy.

Using the boats, residents assess what's left of their factories, their farms and their homes.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"Big shock for us, for all the family. and for those they know us, they knew us, we grew up in this place, and we have a lot of friends around. So we used to play games and everything.. and people visited us very often. We have lots of friends.. lots of memories, we used to accommodate people who didn't have places. We used to even accommodate friends and so on."
SUPERCAPTION: Faruk Tatia, Returnee

When the floods hit Xai Xai last month, they hit quickly.

Heavy rains burst the Oliphants and Limpopo rivers and Xai Xai residents became refugees overnight.

Bridges were washed away.

The town of Xai-Xai was cut off completely.

On Thursday, residents met to discuss their frustration over the lack of transport in and out of the town -- a problem which has made getting aid to the area a logistical nightmare.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"I am here because I want to go to Maputo. My father died on last Sunday. I'm here. I can't get transport to go to Maputo. From Tuesday I am here. I think I've spent two days here.. Tuesday, Wednesday. There is no transport"
SUPERCAPTION: Sylvester Langa, Flood victim

Tragically, Mozambique was just beginning to recover from a long and brutal civil war.

Now, with the flooding, and Xai Xai and its surrounding villages still under water, its development has been set back several years.

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