Mozambique - Floods OCHA Situation Report No. 22

Ref: OCHA/GVA-2000/0069
OCHA Situation Report No. 22
Mozambique - Floods
30 March 2000

Situation

1. Overall, river levels in the south of the country are slowly receding. However, the Limpopo river was in flood, and a slight increase was recorded at Xai-Xai over the weekend. The Buzi river was also in flood, and the Pungwe valley remains in a state of alert.

2. Distribution of food continues, now increasingly making use of road transport. On 30 March, for the first time, deliveries of food from Beira to Xai-Xai took place by road. WFP continues to transport over 100 tons of food per day, having distributed 5,100 tons by 28 March since the beginning of the emergency operation on 11 February. It has been agreed between WFP and the Ministry of Agriculture to deliver food and seeds jointly to avoid seeds being eaten.

3. A report indicates acute diarrhea in Catembe (Maputo province) and Chimoio (Manica province). The number of suspected cholera cases in Maputo reached 860 last week, as compared with 295 at the same time last year. However, it should be noted that only 12 cases are confirmed cholera, and the Ministry of Health is not regarding this as an epidemic. Malaria is also on the increase with 16,773 cases in Maputo last week (as compared with 11,520 at the same time last year). A statistical breakdown of patients seeking assistance shows 21% malaria, 21% diarrhea, 18% respiratory illnesses, and 40% other ailments. UNICEF is assisting the Ministry of Health with trucks and equipment to clean up mud and flood debris in Chokwe, which will be followed by similar activities in Xai-Xai. As for agricultural production, 124,250 families have been assessed as being in need of assistance.

International Appeal

4. The withdrawal of the military air assets started on 27 March. While more roads have become passable, the need for air transport for food and non-food items to inaccessible areas remains. To secure funding for WFP's helicopter operations remains a priority (Situation Report No.21 para.5 refers).

Coordination

5. Two OCHA information management experts developed the databases on donations and distribution, and a geographical database on areas, needs, and ongoing relief activities (Situation Report No.21 para.13 refers). Reports generated by the database on contributions have been used by the Director of the National Institute for Disaster Management for his briefing for the Council of Ministers. The geographical database now holds geo-references on 72 locations of persons requiring assistance, and is constantly being updated with information about numbers of people, needs, and relief activities.

6. A daily Operational Logistics Meeting under OCHA's chairmanship has started from today, as a result of the agreement between the Government and the UN system. This will draw together the databases mentioned above, and the logistical assets provided by several agencies, of which WFP is responsible for air assets on a common user basis, while every agency has the responsibility for its own surface transportation.

7. The United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) team has promoted systematic conduct of assessments of the affected areas as well as undertaken assessment missions in support thereof.

8. Information on contributions is often reaching OCHA from multiple sources. Therefore, in order to avoid duplications/omissions and subsequently to allow for accurate contribution tracking and coordination, donors are strongly urged to verify the contributions and inform OCHA Geneva of corrections/additions as required, using the form provided.

9. OCHA is prepared to serve as a channel for cash contributions for the immediate relief needs. Funds channelled through OCHA will be spent in co-ordination with the relevant organisations of the UN system and OCHA will provide written confirmation of their use. Funds should be transferred to OCHA Account No. CO-590.160.1 SWIFT-code UBSWCHZ12A - at the UBS AG, PO Box 2770, CH-1211 Geneva 2, Switzerland, with reference: OCHA - Mozambique - Floods 2000.

10. For co-ordination purposes, donors are requested to inform OCHA Geneva, as indicated below, of relief missions, pledges or contributions and their corresponding value by item.

11. Any future updates on contributions to this disaster may be found by clicking on Financial Tracking at the top of the page for this disaster on the OCHA Internet Website (http://www.reliefweb.int). Donors are requested to verify this table and inform OCHA Geneva of corrections/additions/values. Donors are encouraged to notify OCHA Geneva of their contributions to this disaster using the OCHA Standardized Contributions Recording Format, available electronically in the above mentioned Financial Tracking Website.

12. This Situation Report and further information on ongoing emergencies are also available on the OCHA Internet Website at: http://www.reliefweb.int.

Telephone: +41-22-917 12 34
Fax: +41-22-917 00 23
E-mail: ochagva@un.org

In case of emergency only: Tel. +41-22-917 20 10

Desk Officers (OCHA Disaster Response Branch): Mr. K. Wiersing /Ms. Y. Sawada, direct Tel. +41 22 917 2270/ +41-22-917 1768

Press contact: Mr. Donato Kiniger-Passigli, direct Tel. +41-22-917 26 53