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Mozambican
Floods 2000
The heavy rains and freak cyclonic activity (Eline
and Gloria) caused immense damage to the country. While exact numbers
are hard to come by, here is an attempt to quantify the damage
inflicted:
- 700 people lost their lives
- half a million lost their homes and most of
their possessions (ten percent of the country's homes were
destroyed.
- two million people were directly affected by
the flooding
- 150,000
hectares of food crops were lost in the five affected provinces
- 30
percent of the cattle in the three southern provinces of the country
were lost
South African Assistance
South Africa played a leading role in the
Mozambican relief operations. The minister of defence, Mosiuoa Lekota
went on a personal helicopter tour of the most seriously affected areas.
The South African government deployed seven
helicopters, five fixed-wing planes and 82 soldiers in Mozambique.
It was one of the helicopter crews that made the dramatic rescue of
Rosita Chijivuri, the baby who was born in a tree where her mother had
sought refuge from the rising waters.
A man is lowered into the tree-tops
to rescue mother and her newly born baby from the rising flood waters
Holding on desperately Sofia Pedro Chijivuri and her newly
born daughter are lifted safely out of the tree by the South African Air
force helicopter
Hoisted up into the helicopter
The heavily laden helicopter with a
very special passenger, makes for the safety of dry land
Rosita Chijivuri - born in a tree -
captured the imagination of the world with her most unusual entry into
this world. Not many people have been born in a tree and flown in a
helicopter before ever having touched dry land.
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