HIGHLIGHTS
- Approximately 21,555 households (102,486 people) have moved to resettlement centres, according to the Government's National Disaster Management Institute (INGC).
- The INGC operational arm, CENOE, has announced that the search and rescue operations started in December have now been suspended. These will only be reactivated if the situation worsens.
- The Cahora Bassa Dam decreased its discharges into the Zambezi River from 3,800 to 2,400 cubic meters per second.
- As of 20 February, the Health authorities in Mutarara District stated that 700 people are infected with Cholera. 13 deaths have been registered.
- With support from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) an additional allocation of relief items from Brindisi depot will enable the Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) to increase the support to the Government response.
The information contained in this report has been gathered by the Office of Resident Coordinator on behalf of the Mozambican Humanitarian Country Team from the Clusters and other sources including the Government of Mozambique.
Situation Overview
Over the past weeks, rainfall has been decreasing in Mozambique and in neighbouring countries, leading to a general improvement in the flood situation. As a consequence CENOE has announced that the search and rescue operations have stopped since the beginning of the week. The search and rescue operations started in December 2007, when the water levels in the Zambezi basin reached alert levels and have been ongoing for more than eight weeks. According to CENOE all people at risk have been evacuated, with only few people refusing to move. The successful operation has contained the number of casualties below fifteen, in a flooding situation worse than 2001, when hundreds of people died. UNAPROC is maintaining the stand-by capacity for rescue operations, should the situation deteriorate.
Cahora Bassa Dam has decreased the discharge rate from 3,800 to 2,400 cubic meters per second. The opening of the floodgate of the Kariba Dam 11 February, did not have any significant impact in the flood affected areas.
The Emergency Operations Centre (CENOE) in Caia indicates that, as of 14 February, an estimated total of 21,555 households, (102,486 people) have been moved to resettlement centers as a result of the 2008 floods.
According to the Agriculture Ministry (MINAG), an estimated total of 150,923 hectares of agricultural land have been lost so far, affecting 149,000 families.
The hydrometric basins of the central region of Mozambique; Zambezi, P=FAnguè, B=FAzi, Licungo and Save continue to register a decrease in water level; however the Zambezi and P=FAngoè Rivers still remain above the flood alert levels in few monitoring stations.
In the northern region of the country the hydrometric levels of Messalo, Montepuez and Lugenda Rivers are currently stabilising, therefore localized flooding in Mandimba, Montepuez, Macomia and Muidumbe has reduced.
Notwithstanding the positive trend, road access continues to be problematic throughout the flood affected regions. In Nacala Velha District (Nampula Province) Napuhula/Nacololo road is cut off following a destruction of the water canal above Covo River. The road to Patone/Barragem and Mangane/Salinas is also inaccessible due to a destroyed platform.
As of 20 February, the Health authorities in Mutarara district identified an estimated total of 700 people infected with Cholera. Some of the cases were in Chare Cholera Treatment Center, in Mutarara district Capital, in Vila Nova, in Bawe and in Traquino. The Cholera Treatment Center in Mutarara has to date reported 13 deaths. On 17 February, cyclone "Ivan" hit the northeastern coast of Madagascar with winds up to 200 kilometers per hour, and a sea surge that caused widespread damage. On Monday 18 February, Ivan weakened, became a tropical depression and drifted southwestwards. There is no direct threat to Mozambique at the moment as the formation has dissolved. INAM continues to monitor the development.
For more information, please contact:
Ndolamb Ngokwey, UN Resident Coordinator, Tel: +258 21 485158/59, ndolamb.ngokwey@undp.org
Giovanni Bosco, OCHA Emergency Coordination Officer / RCO, Tel: +258 842 300 4668, Bosco@un.org
Angelina Tivane, UN Emergency Coordinator Support Officer, RCO,Tel: +258 82 302 0860, angelina.tivane@undp.org
Luis Zaqueu, UN Communication Officer, RCO, Tel: +258 82 308 2470, luis.zaqueu@undp.org