Maputo, Jan 22 (IANS): The Mozambican government announced here Wednesday that so far 84 people have died in a week as a result of the floods affecting the central and northern regions of the country.

Speaking at the end of an emergency meeting of the new Mozambican cabinet and the National Institute of Disasters Management (INGC), the Minister of the Public Service and State Administration Carmelita Namashalua told reporters that 55 people were also injured due to the floods, Xinhua reported.

According to Namashalua, 62 of the deaths occurred in the central province of Zambezia, which is worst affected by the floods.

The spokesperson of the Mozambican cabinet, Mouzinho Saide, said the government considered the situation very serious and instructed all government bodies to give assistance to the victims and those who have been affected by the floods.

Giving updated numbers, Namashalua said that since start of the floods, 13,530 houses have been destroyed by the storms and floods, and Mozambican authorities have set up 34 temporary accommodation centres in Zambezia and nine in Niassa. More than 29,000 people took shelter in these centres.