27 March 2007
South Africa has sent a team of experts to Mozambique to help the local authorities with their investigations into last week's explosions at a military armoury in the capital, Maputo.
The Mozambican Armed Forces armoury, situated in the outer suburb of Malhazine, contained about 20 tons of ammunition, explosives and other obsolete equipment awaiting destruction.
This is the second time is less than two months that ageing mortar shells and other parts of Mozambique's arsenal have exploded accidentally, something their Defence Minister Tobias Dai has blamed on the high summer temperatures.
As a result of the accident, Mozambican President Armando Guebuza cancelled a visit Pretoria last Friday, where he was due to meet with President Thabo Mbeki. Mbeki has since sent his condolences to Guebuza.
"President Mbeki assured President Guebuza of South Africa's thoughts and prayers during this time of grief for the people of Mozambique," the Department of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
Death toll may rise
According to the latest count, up to 100 people died and around 450 were injured as a result of the blasts. The injured are being treated at three of Maputo's main hospitals.
However, the Mozambique News Agency reports that the death toll may rise, partly because of the critical condition of some of the injured, and partly because not all the bodies have yet been recovered.
Hundreds of houses were damaged or destroyed, and rescue teams have been picking their way through the rubble.
Key infrastructure affected by the blasts includes the Infulene electricity sub-station and the Infulene psychiatric hospital.
Maputo airport, which was closed on Thursday evening, was reopened on Friday morning, when there was no longer any danger of projectiles landing on the runway.
Source: BuaNews
