Mozambique earmarks 16 mln USD contingency money for disasters in 2018

MAPUTO, Dec. 19 (Xinhua) -- The Mozambican government approved on Tuesday in Maputo a contingency plan worth 16 million U.S. dollars to cope with natural disasters in 2018.

The information was given by the government's spokeswoman Ana Comoana to the press at the end of the last ordinary session of the Council of Ministers.

She said that the amount "is intended for monitoring and issuing pre-warnings about calamitous events, as well as the prepositioning of material and human resources in places subject to natural disasters."

"This amount is also intended for search and rescue operations and humanitarian assistance to population at risk, which is above one million people," said the spokeswoman.

She added that between October and November, rains in the country affected at least 19,000 people and destroyed 4,000 homes.

"Some of these houses were partially damaged and many totally destroyed. Meanwhile, nearly 500 houses were flooded, including more than 200 classrooms and 10 health units," she said. Enditem