Flood Victims Living on Grass, Infested Corn

MAPUTO, Mozambique — Aid workers reached isolated villages in southern Mozambique on Saturday and found local people eating grass and insect-infested corn to survive after weeks of floods.

A U.N. World Food Program spokeswoman said about 2,500 to 3,000 people had been found in four villages 25 miles from the southern town of Chibuto.

They had been trapped by flood waters since Feb. 20.

“This could be just the tip of the iceberg. The question is, how many people are out there like this?” the U.N. agency’s Abby Spring said.

Spring said World Food Program workers, flying over the flood-ravaged Gaza province in South African military helicopters, had made contact with residents of Mohambe, Thlatahlen, Mithiab and Funguane as heavy overnight downpours continued to swell rising rivers.

She said children in the mud-covered villages were suffering from malnutrition after unceasing rains had prevented residents from reaching international relief camps in Chibuto.

“Villagers have been reduced to eating the same food as their goats. They are eating insect-infested maize and eating boiled grasses and leaves,” she said.