Mozambique: Tropical Cyclone Gombe Flash Update No.7 (As of 29 March 2022)

HIGHLIGHTS

• Latest data on the impact indicate that Gombe affected at least 736,015 people (148,253 families), caused 63 deaths and injured 108 people, mostly impacting on Nampula and Zambezia provinces and, to a lesser extent, Sofala, Beira,
  Tete and Niassa provinces.

• While the number of people affected has not changed since 25 March, the number of displaced people hosted at accommodation centers has steadily declined and it now stands at 6,981 people.

• Inter-agency assessments have been completed in Nampula province and are being finalised in Zambezia province.

• The Central Emergency Response Fund has allocated US$4 million to help UN agencies provide urgently needed relief, including food, shelter, drinking water and healthcare.

• The National Institute of Meteorology is currently monitoring a weather system that has recently formed in the Indian Ocean, called Halima.

SITUATION OVERVIEW

According to the latest data from the Institute for Disaster Management and Risk Reduction (INGD), to date, Gombe affected at least 736,015 people (148,253 families), caused 63 deaths, and injured 108 people. While the number of people affected has not increased since 25 March, the number of displaced people hosted at accommodation centers has halved from 14,119 to 6,981. These figures indicate that people continue to return to their homes to rebuild their lives. The number of accommodations centers established by the Government has decreased from 34 to four while five resettlement sites remain operational.

To date, a total of 141,854 houses have been partially damaged or totally destroyed along with 69 health centers, 1,458 classrooms (affecting 143,904 students), 2,764 electricity poles and 21 water systems. A total of 91,177 hectares of crops have been lost. A total of 1,008 km of roads have been severely damaged.

INGD reports that national reservoirs are almost at full capacity. As rains, from weak to moderate, are forecast to continue over Zambezia province until 10 April there is a high likelihood of flooding in the low lying and riverine areas of the Licungo,
Licuare, Namacura Ligonha and Meluli rivers. Meanwhile, the National Institute of Meteorology (INAM) is currently monitoring a weather system that has recently formed in the Indian Ocean. For the time being, the weather system, named Halima does not constitute a threat to Mozambique.

Since the beginning of the rainy season, a total of 1,020,304 people (206,038 families) were impacted. Moreover, authorities reported a total of 359 people injured and 138 deaths. Moreover, a total of 183,312 houses have been partially damaged or totally destroyed along with 103 health centers, 3,843 classrooms (affecting 468,116 students), 2,981 electricity poles and 159 water systems. A total of 220,425 hectares of crops have been lost with grave concern for the food security outlook of the affected areas. A total of 6,297 km of roads have been severely damaged. Overall, the most impacted provinces have been Nampula, Zambezia, Maputo and Tete.

Considering the overstretched resources and ongoing humanitarian crisis in the northern region, humanitarian agencies urgently require further financial support to cover the unfolding needs. On 25 March, the Emergency Relief Coordinator (ERC) allocated a total of US$4million from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to kick start the response to Tropical Storm Gombe. The allocation will support a total of 200,000 people with food assistance, access to safe to water, shelter, and critical health services. Protection and Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse have been mainstreamed in the response strategy. Humanitarian partners are currently working on a Flash Appeal which will be launched in the coming weeks to mobilize additional financial resources needed in other critical sectors.