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Mozambique

WFP Mozambique floods Situation Report No. 11

18-19 February 2001
Highlights

  • Rains continued all over the province on 17/18 February;
  • INGC Bell helicopter arrived 17 February;
  • DFID/WFP helicopter arrived on afternoon of 18 February;
  • Deliveries to MOZ 5160, Education project (3.106 MT);
  • Joint air assessment in Luabo (Chinde) and Chire (Morrumbala) on 18 February by WFP, DPAS, DDS;
  • Meeting with INGC provincial delegate and WFP. Meeting was scheduled for the evening due to the arrival of the Minister of Public Works;
  • Air assessment in Nante (Maganja da Costa) and Inhassunge on 19 February;
  • Three people said to have died in Inhassunge, two of which drowned when trying to cross a river by canoe and one woman died when her house collapsed;
  • In Luabo (Chinde district), two people are said to have died of hunger and another two are said to have been killed by lightning in Samora Machel village;
  • 4.4 MT of food commodities airlifted to Luabo by helicopter. Airlifting to Luabo planned to continue on Tuesday;
  • Co-ordination meeting headed by INGC with NGOs and local authorities. A new list with affected/displaced people was distributed and discussed. Final numbers will be sent tomorrow for submission to the Council of Ministers. Number of displaced increased from 23.600 to 60.000.

General situation

Due to continuous rainfalls over the weekend, river levels also continue increasing. Licungo River passed over the critical level causing negative impact in Nante (Maganja da Costa).

In Munhunha (Nicoadala), 850 people are accommodated in a school. The assessment team was unable to reach the area due to heavy rainfall. Tents were requested for people in accommodation centres. Also Zambeze River continues to increase and small boats cannot cross the river, as the currents are too strong. On 19 February, heavy rainfall was reported in Nante and weak rainfalls in Inhassunge.

The DFID helicopter was able to make airlift in the morning with 1.5 MT of maize flour. Atanasio accompanied this airlift. The second and third airlifts only resumed in the afternoon due to fuel problem. The helicopter airlifted 2.9 MT of mixed food commodities.

Tomorrow, the Minister of Public Works will use the INGC helicopter during the entire day. No information on which areas are planned to be assessed.

Assessment

Assessment trips were done by WFP (Tomás), DDS and DDCAS representatives on 18 February to the following areas:

Chinde

Deliveries by boat from Beira: Maize: 38 MT; Pulses: 3.8 MT; Oil: 1.61 MT and Sugar: 1.6 MT;

Boat unable to continue to Luabo due to a breakdown and lack of fuel. It had to return to Beira and all food was off-loaded in Chinde;

A private boat owner submitted a quotation for the transport of food by boat from Chinde to Luabo: 3.000.000,00 MTS per 6.0 MT;

In Matilde locality are said to be 6 accommodation centres with a total 1.709 displaced.

Luabo

A total of 4.372 people are said to be displaced, scattered in different places of the town. These people are living with friends and relatives in houses owned by the Sena Sugar Factory;

A dike protects the town. Rising Zambeze waters destroyed one section of the dike. 400 empty bags were requested for the repair of the dike;

Urgent need of food and fuel for boats.

Chire (Morrumbala district)

13.000 people in Guro and 16.000 people in Chilomo localities are said to be displaced and in need of food assistance. The area will be assessed on 21 February;

From other areas in the district, people have moved to Malawi. No definite numbers of people available;

Need for food as well as fuel for the boats.

Assessment trips with INGC helicopter were carried out by WFP (Marissa and Susanne), DDADR, DDCAS and ORAM representatives on 19 February to the following areas:

Nante in Maganja da Costa district:

Licungo River overpassed its critical level and flooded the area. Nante has turned in an island;

The number of affected people is said to be 30.000 and number of displaced is 7.000. WFP has not agreed on this number of displaced as there are no accommodation centres. As it appears, people from lowlands have moved to higher ground and are living with relatives and friends;

ActionAid in collaboration with ORAM plans an assessment in the critical areas such as Nomiua, Mundema, Mugoloma, Morla, Namuhuro, Mucudo, Muruto, Muebene and Muneia. ActionAid has two monitors and will co-ordinate with ORAM staff the assessment by boat. If WFP would guarantee that the team could be dropped and picked up on the same day, they would be prepared to do a rapid needs assessment and will use the UN forms to get the necessary data. WFP agreed. Marissa to meet ActionAid and explain the use of the UN forms;

Transport of food needs to be done by small canoes and tractors to the most affected and critical zones;

ORAM offered to do food distributions in Nante while ActionAid would cover the district capital.

Inhassunge

14.000 people corresponding to 4.753 families said to be affected and in need of food assistance as people lost homes and farmlands.

No accommodation centres, as people took refuge in houses of relatives in higher ground areas;

Critical areas are the localities of Ilova, Chirimane, Bengagira, Mucupia and Gonhane administrative post;

438 houses destroyed, 16 wooden and one cement bridges destroyed;

Nine small bridges (aqueducts) destroyed in Mucupeia, Gonhane and Bengagira;

Twenty (20) wells under water;

Six EP1 schools and one EP2 school destroyed and seven EP1 schools damaged. All these schools were built with local material;

Needs: Tents for 50 students living in a boarding school. Classes did not start yet due to damage or lack of classrooms in Ocane, Olinda and Iciro;

Seeds needed for the next planting season: 10 MT beans; 3 MT maize and 3 kg vegetable seeds as well as tools like hoes, catanas and machetes;

5.408 ha of farmland belonging to 8.320 families lost;

No update on Iciro and Chirimane localities. Two brigades composed of 4 people were sent to carry out an assessment in Iciro and Ilova localities left by boat yesterday. Rio Licuala said to have increased and currents were too strong for the boat to return;

Malaria and diarrhea cases increased significantly due to rains;

Chloro was distributed by CVM for water treatment in the district capital. Lack of road access did not allow for sending it to other places in the district.

A new pneumatic boat turned out to be in bad condition due to holes and insufficient motor capacity.

Logistics

39.0 MT of (milled) maize flour available as of 19 February;

Tomas finishing waybill table;

Food commodities and NFI to be airlifted to Luabo are 28.0 MT maize; 2.19 MT pulses; 0.88 MT oil; 0.88 MT sugar; 0.22 MT salt; 875 bars of soap; 25 tents; 400 empty bags; 400 mosquito nets; 2 drums of gasoline and 10 litres of mixed fuel (if helicopter is authorised).

Beneficiary figures

New beneficiary figures were given for Luabo - 4.372 people, Matilde - 1.709 and 1.500 for Mica=FAne.

INGC -ZA

Still no INGC participation in assessment missions

INGC helicopter to stay for an indefinite period and can be used for assessment mission

Milling of the first 50 MT maize was paid by INGC