Heavy rain is forecast and floodwaters in Mozambique are likely to rise again, the international anti-poverty charity ActionAid has warned.

Water levels in the Zambezi valley could rise above the peak they reached on 10 January, the agency said, and 200,000 people could be affected if the heavy rain forecast for Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique from 26 January materialises.

Alberto Silva, director of ActionAid Mozambique, said: “In Mutarara district up to 30,000 people are living in areas which are currently safe but cut off by floods. If the Zambezi river rises above seven metres these temporary islands will be in danger. We would need to move these people to higher ground.

“In the whole country 200,000 people might have to move again.”

Local committees set up by ActionAid are ready to evacuate 5000 people if the forecasts of heavy rains are confirmed.

Fernando Ketulo manages ActionAid’s emergency operations in Mutarara and Chemba districts. He said: “In places where we have warned people and encouraged them to prepare for flooding and possible evacuation by setting up risk management committees, the resilience of communities is impressive.

“But the floods are continuing to hit vulnerable people, especially women, hard. Yesterday we rescued a woman who was giving birth and brought her to the health centre. The baby was saved but the mother did not survive.”

If the weather forecasts are confirmed, school kits will be distributed by the committees together with food supplements for the most vulnerable, especially women and children. The committees will continue to produce radio programmes  to tell communities about the forecasts and encourage them to prepare for evacuation if necessary.

Meanwhile ActionAid staff are working with local authorities to rescue about 800 families who lost their homes in the region of Mangaja da Costa.