As water-levels continue to recede after
the worst flood in Mozambique's recorded history, WFP is expanding its
emergency operations to cover rehabilitation.
FOOD AID
In the short-term, WFP must provide food aid for some 365,000 people who lost their homes in the floods and are sheltering in 96 makeshift transit camps of all sizes, spread across the Limpopo and Save river valleys. The largest camp at Chiqualene holds 57,000 internally displaced persons.
WFP's 20 food aid monitors, already in Mozambique to oversee development projects prior to the floods, have been re-deployed and are co-ordinating distribution of emergency food rations.
RESURRECTING MOZAMBIQUE
When the rainy season ends in late March / early April, flood victims are expected to leave the camps and head back to their towns and villages. WFP food aid will be used to facilitate their return.
To help Mozambique kick-start its local economy, WFP will pay workers with food to resurrect their shattered communities. Projects will include the reconstruction of schools and shops, the rebuilding of railways and roads and, most importantly, the planting of new crops.
Updates from the Field
South African weather centre in Pretoria is predicting a break in current heavy rainfall after Wednesday. It will be the first such break since the beginning of the emergency.
Wary of a possible overflow in Tete province, WFP is transporting food to the town of Zumbo on the Zimbabwe border. Because helicopters do not have the fuel capacity to make the round trip between Tete and Zumbo, WFP is using trucks.
APPEAL
WFP has launched a fresh international appeal for US$34 million to finance emergency food rations as well as the cost of food-for-work projects. The request raises the total funding required for Mozambique to US$ 45.2 million, enough to cover the food needs of 650,000 people until a second harvest due in mid-August.
The new appeal includes US$5.3 million to guarantee the continued use of South African National Defense Force helicopters for food aid transport as well the rehabilitation of key roads and railways.
LOGISTICS
Helicopters : 31
Aircraft: 16
Boats: 109 deployed throughout country
WFP PRESS CONTACTS
Rome:
Trevor Rowe
Office +39 06 6513 2602
Mobile +39 348 6099463
Francis Mwanza
Office +39 06 65132623
Jeffrey Rowland
Office +39 06 6513 2971
Mozambique Maputo:
Abigail Spring
Mobile + 258 82 316 644 Lindsey Davies
Mobile +258 82 316 642
Mozambique Beira:
Inyene Uyoden
Office +258 3 326203 / 301314
Geneva:
Christiane Berthiaume
Office +41 79 285 7304
Madagascar:
Wagdi Othman
Office +261 20 2230 833 / 2278 589
Satellite +871 761 661 746
Copyright =A9 2000, World Food Programme. All rights reserved.