State Administration and Civil Service Minister Carmelita Namashulua told journalists in Maputo after an INGC Coordinating Council meeting on Monday night that the alert was issued for Manica, Sofala, Tete and Zambézia provinces where thousands of families have been displaced and several people have died due to flooding in the past week.
Namashulua said the declaration of the Red Alert means that people residing in flood-prone areas in the four regions would have to be moved to higher ground.
“We will also improve and intensify the communication systems that the disaster management systems themselves have for the compulsory evacuation of people,” the minister said.
She revealed that the Mozambican authorities would like to mobilise about US$18 million for humanitarian relief operations for affected populations.
Namashulua called upon donor agencies to contribute towards financial and material resources in affected provinces to enable them to accommodate populations withdrawn from risk areas.
“We need more shelters, we need water, all means of sanitation. We also need food and hygiene kits to strengthen government capacity,” Namashulua said.
The official stressed the urgency of immediate mobilization of all types of support in the face of Tropical Cyclone Idai that is expected to make landfall in Mozambique during the next few days.