- Chapo calls for evacuation of flood prone areas
By Paul Fauvet, in Addis Ababa
Maputo (MOZTIMES) – Mozambican Airlines (LAM) has decided to cancel some domestic flights this Friday as result of the passage of Cyclone Gezani, which has entered the Mozambique Channel and is heading towards the coast of Inhambane province.
According to government data, the passage of Gezani, which is expected to hit the southern provinces of Gaza and Inhambane, and the central province of Sofala, may affect over one million people, as well as approximately 13,000 schools, 1,800 health facilities and about 800 kilometers of the electricity grid.
According to a LAM statement, the measure was taken for operational safety reasons in accordance with international civil aviation standards. The cancelled flights operate on the Maputo/Vilanculo/Xai-Xai/Maputo and Maputo/Inhambane/Maputo routes.
“The decision aims to safeguard human life and ensure the integrity of air operations in the face of atmospheric instability caused by the cyclonic system. We will continue to monitor the evolution of dangerous conditions and the resumption of operations will depend on the verification of favorable conditions for air navigation”, reads the note.
Affected passengers may book their trips without penalties or may request a refund.
Ccyclone Gezani, with winds of 120 kilometers per hour and maximum gusts of up to 200 kilometers per hour, was formed in the Indian Ocean, and over the weekend it tracked across central Madagascar. On Wednesday morning it entered the Mozambique Channel and began to intensify.
Mozambican President Daniel Chapo on Friday called on all families living in the path of cyclone Gezani to leave dangerous areas urgently.
Chapo was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the African Union summit in Addis Ababa.
People at risk needed to more out of the way of danger. "We cannot stop a cyclone but we can minimise its damage", said Chapo. (PF)
(Text updated in the last three paragraphs with Chapo comments)
