LUSAKA, Mar 9 (Reuters) - Zambia warned on Friday of more floods after weather officials said they expected heavy rains in the next few weeks, increasing fears of a maize shortfall. Austin Sichinga, a Zambian government permanent secretary, said officials, as a precautionary measure, had started delivering relief food to areas likely to be hit by new floods. More rain was expected in many areas, he said in a statement. Two weeks ago, four people died when their car was swept into a river in the mineral-rich Copperbelt region. Officials said that although there was no immediate risk of flooding to copper and cobalt mines, there could be trouble further down the Zambezi River in Mozambique, which has been hit by serious flooding this year. "They (floods) have caused extensive damage to crop fields and infrastructure, especially roads and bridges," Sichinga said, adding that food supplies could be hit in many districts. Sichinga said some Zambians experiencing flood damage will require relief food throughout 2007 even though the country expects another bumper maize harvest overall. Officials said a crop forecast originally planned for last week had been delayed by the flooding, making it difficult to predict how many people overall might need food help. Zambia had an estimated 1.1 million people needing food aid due to a drought in 2004-2005, but rains and improved farming practices put the country back into food surplus by 2006. The U.N. World Food Programme warned on Thursday that large parts of southern Africa could face serious food shortages this year, with some regions hit by floods and others by drought. Making matters worse, the region's main food supplier South Africa also has had drought problems in its maize-growing regions, which could push up prices and complicate relief operations, the WFP said.
