As heavy rains across the southern Africa region ease in parts, fears of food shortages and disease outbreaks in the coming months remain, warned Christian Aid this week.

The recent flooding has also highlighted inadequacies in current disaster management country plans, reports Christian Aid's country manager Salomao Maxaeia from Maputo, Mozambique .

Flooding is an annual threat for poor farmers in the southern Africa region, but it is unusual for the floods to be so bad, so early in the year. Downpours continue in many areas but, with Southern Africa's rainy season lasting until March, the worse could be yet to come.

Mozambique

The recent floods have forced tens of thousands from their homes in central Mozambique, reports Christian Aid's country office in Maputo. Many families who were permanently relocated following severe flooding of homes and harvests early last year are now having to uproot once again as areas deemed safe from seasonal flood waters have been affected by the recent deluge.

Water levels in four rivers, including the Zambezi, have risen above critical levels and the government has declared a red alert. Sofala and Zambezia province are among the worst affected areas.

Here, Christian Aid partner the Christian Council of Mozambique (CCM) is working with people who lost their homes and crops in last year's floods. CCM has also helped these communities to map safe flood evacuation routes to higher ground.

The danger now is that even some of those higher 'safe areas' are under threat from rising flood waters.

Christian Aid is also planning a clean water and sanitation project to help prevent diseases such as cholera and malaria among flood-hit communities along the Zambezi River.

It's expected that the number of people in need of food and shelter will increase if the rains continue as most people have very few resources to fall back on.

Zambia

The floods have affected all nine of Zambia 's provinces, destroying roads, bridges and crops. The worst affected area is in the south.

Christian Aid partner the Family Health Trust (FHT) reports that water points in Monze, Southern Province, have been completely submerged leaving communities with no access to clean water, and maize crops have been ruined by the rains.

FHT's programme coordinator Mr Boniface said that though few in the farming communities where FHT work have lost everything they own, most have lost their supplies of food and are in great fear of disease. FHT's local community networks are already providing blankets and food items to displaced families in the area.

Local partners are planning a coordinated emergency response that is likely to include the provision of clothing and blankets, temporary shelter materials, insecticide treated mosquito nets and water treatment supplies.

Zimbabwe

Christian Aid's Harare office reports that the incessant rainfall since December has eased in parts have raised hopes in the country that damage caused by the floods will remain manageable as UN and large relief organisations continue immediate relief efforts those affected.

Christian Aid partner Christian Care has distributed food parcels to more than 8,000 people who have been displaced by the floods with the support of the UN World Food Programme.

According to Zimbabwe 's weather office, December 2007 was the wettest month in 127 years. Christian Aid currently sees no need for further humanitarian relief. However there are expectations of localised food shortages in the coming months remain, due to significant damage to crops and destruction of roads and bridges in some areas.

Last year Christian Aid appealed for funds when severe floods affected nine countries from east to west all across central Africa . Now southern Africa has been affected by heavy rains. So far governments and local organisations are coping well with the crisis but the rains are expected to continue.