Mozambique - Floods OCHA Situation Report No. 7

Ref: OCHA/GVA-2000/0024
Mozambique - Floods
OCHA Situation Report No. 7
18 February 2000

1. The Government (National Institute for Disaster Management), supported by the UNDAC team, has set up an On-Site Operations Coordination Centre (OSOCC) to ensure coordination between the national emergency services, UN agencies, international organisations and NGOs. The OSOCC calls daily meetings since 16 February for national and international actors involved in the response to the emergency. The rapid functioning of the centre has been made possible by a 50,000 USD pledge from the UNDP, allowing inter alia for the equipment of the centre.

2. The OSOCC consists of six sectoral desks, each manned by national officials and a representative from the concerned UN agency or from a NGO. Each desk holds meetings in its area, as appropriate, involving all organisations active in the sector.

• Food - WFP
• Health - WHO
• Shelter/non-food items - IFRC
• Water/sanitation - UNICEF
• Transport/customs/communications - DFID
• Information - UNDP

In addition to its focal point role for processing and sharing of information, the OSOCC has established a logistics coordination cell with support from the DFID team. The objective is to ensure to have as comprehensive a picture of the needs and ongoing relief activities as possible. Funds are expected to be forthcoming to add an air operations coordination capacity to the cell.

Response Activities

4. South Africa's air fleet has been supporting the bulk of national and international relief efforts. This vital capacity for rescue operations and relief distribution is in urgent need to be strengthened. Funds will run out as early as 20 February. In this connection, the UNDAC team advises on the urgent need for fuel. One way of reducing the costly air operations would be the positioning of both fuel and relief food items in locations such as Manhica, border area between Maputo and Gaza provinces, which is still accessible by road. South Africa's aircraft are trying to get fuel to Chibuto for missions into the Limpopo valley, Gaza province. This area is currently the focus of relief actors, after heavy flooding over the past days. Humanitarian personnel having visited the area reported that local authorities were in urgent need for support to assist displaced families. The sanitation situation in particular, requires substantial attention in view of the much-feared cholera and malaria outbreaks. The full extent of these problems can only be assessed once the floodwaters recede, which is considered to be in a matter of weeks.

5. WFP, in collaboration with the emergency services, has begun the delivery of urgently needed food and non-food items to most affected victims. Among these are 40,000 food packages, sufficient to feed 8,000 families for two weeks as well as 55 tons of BP5 high energy biscuits, of which 4 tons arrived today in Maputo from the OCHA-Pisa Warehouse.

Response Strategy

6. The Government and its humanitarian counterparts are developing a strategy for response, based on sectoral assessments and agreed priorities. It will be the basis for a coordinated inter-agency-government appeal, which is expected to be launched in Maputo early next week and will also be disseminated by OCHA-Geneva. The UNDAC team is assisting the sectoral lead agencies (para 2 above refers) in the setting of the framework for the appeal.

International Response (US$) (additional contributions):

7. 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.

8. 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.

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

Telephone number: + 41-22-917-1234
In case of emergency only: + 41 22 917 2010

Desk Officers: Mr. Klaus Wiersing/ Ms. Yasuko Sawada, Disaster Response Branch, direct Tel: + 41 22 917 2770/1768

Contact person for the media: Mr. Donato Kiniger-Passigli, direct tel: +41-22-917-2653

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Fax: + 41 22 917 0023
E-mail: ochagva@un.org