1) Heavy rain, during the past several weeks, has led to flooding, displacement of local population and cholera outbreaks in Mozambique, Malawi and Zambia. Locally heavy rains are forecast across parts of Zambia, Malawi and northern Mozambique for a sixth consecutive week. With above-average ground moisture in place, the risk for flooding in the region remains high.

1) Moisture deficits remain following a mid-season dry spell that occurred in early November and recent drier than average conditions. With a shortened recovery period in the next several weeks, this could result in a deterioration of pastoral and agro-pastoral conditions, and possible crop yield reductions by the end of season throughout parts of Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya and eastern Tanzania.

1) The return of below-average rainfall during the last week has re-strengthened moisture deficits following a mid-season dry spell that occurred in early November. With a shortened recovery period in the next several weeks, this could result in a deterioration of pastoral and agro-pastoral conditions, and possible crop yield reductions by the end of season throughout parts of Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya and eastern Tanzania.

Southern Africa Humanitarian Bulletin: Issue 06 | October 2012

Lesotho:
The United Nations and its humanitarian partners launched a Flash Appeal on 28 September in response to the dire food security situation in Lesotho. The appeal seeks $38.46 million to address the needs of the most vulnerable people affected.

1) Both anomalous seasonal rainfall and northward position of the Inter-Tropical front has favored breeding conditions for desert locusts over the southern Mauritania-western Mali border, central Niger-eastern Mali, Chad, and east-central Sudan. The continuation of above-average rainfall during September could lead to locust outbreak across many regions.

MADAGASCAR Attacks by Dahalos again flared up over the past two weeks in various southern districts.

LESOTHO The Government of Lesotho is still to release their Response Plan to the food security crisis. The Humanitarian Country Team's draft response plan to the food security details over $40 million in projects.

SWAZILAND OCHA has been contacted by UNICEF regarding recent survey results which indicate a decline in micronutrient levels, particularly iodine.

COMOROS: A donor round table meeting to launch the Comoros Early Recovery Plan will be held on 5 September 2012, in Pretoria, South Africa.

LESOTHO:
CERF: Agencies have begun beneficiary selection and discussion with relevant line ministries regarding the implementation of CERF funding. A response plan to the food security crisis should be released shortly pending the government's presentation of their response plan.

MALAWI:
In southern and central Malawi, it is estimated that 1.63 million people (11% of the population) are food insecure, and will require support for 3 to 8 months.

MADAGASCAR:
A mutiny by a group of military personnel occured in the early hours of 22nd July 2012 at a camp near the Antananarivo airport.

ANGOLA:
An estimated 366,780 households (1,833,900 people) are expected to be affected by drought, and an estimated 533,000 children under age 5 could be affected by various levels of malnutrition.