In collaboration with the United Nations
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the Government
of Mozambique today launched
an appeal for $30 million to fund
relief work in the country's Zambezi valley, where over 479,000 people
may be affected by flood.
According to OCHA, the situation in
Mozambique has been "deteriorating rapidly." At least 80,000
people have already fled to safety in other areas due to this year's flooding,
which has caused 52 deaths.
Mozambique's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development estimates that about 44,000 peasant families have been affected, with the loss of 27,000 hectares of crops, mainly maize, rice and cassava, OCHA said.
The appeal, which was presented to the donor community in Maputo, seeks over $6 million for road and bridge repair, about $6 million for health services, $5.5 million for transportation of relief supplies, more than $3.5 million for shelter, in addition to funds for fuel, water and sanitation, and seeds and tools.