The latest estimates indicate that just over 80 000 Mozambicans have been left homeless and about half a million have been in some way affected by the current floods.

The floods have been caused by heavy rains falling over a large part of the Zambezi river catchment basin. The area is massive, almost as big as France and Germany combined.  Some of the heaviest rains have occurred as far upstream as Malawi, Zimbabwe and Zambia. Most of the waters have then been channeled through tributaries of the Zambezi into the Cahora Bassa dam which had virtually reached its maximum capacity in late February. 

This has forced the authorities to open the dam sluice gates and release huge amounts of water (8 000 cubic metres per second) into the already inundated plains. 

The topography of the plains around the lower reaches of the Zambezi is relatively flat so it allows the waters to spread over a very wide area. 

The huge mass of water has created a number of life threatening difficulties for the villagers in the affected areas. The obvious problem of how to avoid drowning is exacerbated by the fear of crocodiles as the normally infested rivers break their banks and the animals wander far from the main river course. It is believed that at least six people have already been taken by crocodiles. 

The people who choose to remain on the islands are already short of food as their crops have been washed away and relief organisations face immense difficulties in distributing food, clothing and medications. While both government and NGOs claim to have sufficient relief supplies there is a serious lack of suitable air transport to be able to distribute them.

The aftermath of the flood will, no doubt, include precautions to avoid any outbreak of waterborne diseases, such as cholera, typhoid and malaria, that normally follow floods

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