More than 85 000 people in the central Mozambican province of Sofala are facing food shortages because of floods and drought that hit that part of the country earlier this year.
The national secretariat on food security and nutrition told the daily Noticias on Wednesday that the number could increase to more than 100 000 by the end of October.
To mitigate the impact, the government was working with its international and local partners to distribute food parcels to 50 000 people who are most vulnerable.
Luis Pacheco, the head of the national disaster-management institute, told the paper that the most vulnerable who are receiving emergency food parcels include orphans, chronically ill people, and women heading families.
The most affected people are living in the districts of Marching and Búzi, which bore the brunt of Cyclone Favio in February.
Residents of Marromeu, Caia and Chemba who were affected by flash floods that hit the area in January are also in need of emergency food aid, the paper said. — Sapa