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Mozambique

Aid to Mozambique in "full swing:" UN spokesman

A United Nations spokesman reported today that aid operations in Mozambique were in "full swing" thanks to the slowdown in rains over the past few days.
Spokesman Fred Eckhard said that the recession of waters and lack of rain over the past two days had allowed aid efforts to resume and some secondary roads to be opened. He also said that 97 humanitarian centres were currently housing 329,000 displaced people.

The Government of Mozambique has also confirmed that 492 had been killed by the floods, Mr. Eckhard said.

"This is the number of corpses picked up and buried," he added. "That number is expected to rise in the days ahead."

In Maputo tomorrow, a Summit Meeting of the South African Development Community will be held on current coordination arrangements and the way forward. The meeting is a follow-up to the 3 March meeting in Pretoria.