Mozambique: Two Dead Amidst Large Crowds At Macaneta Beach
Maputo — At least two people have lost their lives amidst large crowds at a popular tourist Macaneta Beach, in Marracuene District, southern Mozambican province of Maputo.
The tragedy occurred on Friday during celebrations of a national holiday, which marked the 60th anniversary of the National Liberation Struggle and the 51st anniversary of the Armed Forces for the Defense of Mozambique (FADM) Day.
According to Shafee Sidat, mayor of Marracuene, the deaths occurred outside the sea, after 30,000 to 40,000 people flocked to the beach.
“There were no deaths by drowning at the beach, contradicting reports circulating that about 20 people had died during the gathering. We deployed municipal police, local authorities and lifeguard teams to ensure the safety of beachgoers”, he said.
The large concentration of people was also accompanied by incidents of petty crime, “particularly mobile phone theft, as well as the accumulation of large amounts of rubbish on the beach and along access roads.”
The authorities acknowledged that there are safety challenges, but “stricter measures will be implemented to strengthen safety and improve the organization of the area during periods of high visitor numbers.”
The mayor further said that Macaneta Beach should become an example of organization and discipline, calling on visitors to help preserve public spaces.
Elias Nobel, a lifeguard, explained that rescue teams carried out about 30 interventions involving people at risk of drowning, with all the operations successfully completed.
On Saturday morning, cleaning teams began removing accumulated waste from the road leading to Macaneta at around 6:30 a.m., where large quantities of bottles and broken glass were found.
The clean-up operation is expected to continue due to the volume of waste, according to those responsible for the operation.
Authorities are urging beachgoers to use the available waste collection points and avoid leaving rubbish on the ground, particularly bottles and other sharp materials that could pose a risk to people and vehicles.
By AIM.
