Mozambique floods: Update 21 Mar 2000

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

To help put Mozambique's economy back on its feet, WFP is buying as much food as possible on the domestic market. Since the beginning of the floods, WFP has purchased locally 900 metric tons of maize. This week, the Agency plans to buy an additional US$1 million worth of maize.

WFP has delivered more than 3,876 tons of food aid nationwide since the beginning of its emergency operation.

WFP is paying workers with food to help reconstruct the highways connecting Save to Beira and Vilankulos - both vital lifelines in the movement of food aid in central Mozambique.

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 © 2000, World Food Programme. All rights reserved.