U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT BUREAU FOR HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE (BHR) OFFICE OF U.S. FOREIGN DISASTER ASSISTANCE (OFDA) SOUTHERN AFRICA - Cyclone Hudah Fact Sheet #1, Fiscal Year (FY) 2000 April 5, 200
REGRIONAL OVERVIEW - On April 2, Cyclone Hudah made landfall along the east coast of Madagascar between Mahanoro and Mananjary. The northernmost area of Madagascar is reported to be the most affected region. Cable News Network reports 13 deaths and 100,000 people left homeless. By April 3, Cyclone Hudah exited the west coast of Madagascar and continued in a westerly direction across the Mozambique channel. On April 5, the cyclone stalled approximately 100 km off the coast of Mozambique. Information on the cyclone's projected track is uncertain at this time. MOZAMBIQUE - Weather: According to NGO reports, there was heavy rainfall earlier in the provinces of Zambezia and Nampula in Mozambique. However, more recent U.S. Embassy/Maputo reports indicate that rains have stopped in Nampula. - Food: World Food Programme (WFP) reports that food stocks are pre-positioned in Nampula and Zambezia provinces. - Relief Operations: As of April 4, air assets being used for relief operations in Mozambique include 23 helicopters and ten fixed-wing planes. These assets are held by AirServ, WFP, the Malawi military contingent remaining in Mozambique, and the South African defense forces. U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Response: - On April 5, USAID/OFDA is deploying to Maputo a 12-person team from Miami-Dade Fire Rescue and four boats from the USAID/OFDA stockpile in New Windsor, Maryland. The team will train NGO partners in search and rescue techniques. In addition, USAID/OFDA is deploying a Communications Officer, Administration Officer, Logistics Officer, and Field Officer on April 5. - Through its grant with Airserv, the USAID/DART has organized an aerial assessment mission of the affected areas, which will take place as soon as weather allows. - In preparation for a response to Cyclone Hudah, the U.S. Embassy, USAID Mission, and USAID/DART have been collecting information on air assets in Mozambique; current assets and projcted needs of NGOs already established in the vulnerable areas; and potential actions taken in anticipation of the storm by the Government of Mozambique (GRM), other donors, NGOs, and international organizations. Local Response: - The provincial governments of Zambezia and Nampula have scheduled emergency coordination meetings with NGOs for April 5. International Response: - Information on donor activities and international response to date is available at www.reliefweb.int. - Major NGOs operating in Zambezia and Nampula provinces are collaborating to establish three bases of operations in Pebane, Moma, and Ongoche. MADAGASCAR - Weather: According to USAID/Antananarivo, rain and cloud cover continue on the northwest and northeast coasts of Madagascar with light showers in the highland area of Antananarivo. - Food: WFP has food pre-positioned in affected areas of the northeast and plans to mobilize to those areas helicopters already being funded by USAID/OFDA as part of the USG response to Cyclone Eline and Tropical Storm Gloria. WFP intends to use these helicopters to deliver food to communities isolated by the effects of Hudah. U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Response: - A USAID/OFDA Regional Advisor from the Africa Regional Office was re-deployed to Madagascar on April 4 to assess the situation. Additional personnel will be deployed as determined necessary by the Regional Advisor. Local Response: - Four overflights departed the morning of April 4 to assess the sites affected by Cyclone Hudah. Two GOM planes are carrying GOM officials, including the prime minister and the minister of the interior, and will deliver immediate first aid supplies to affected areas. Two UNDP flights are carrying representatives of U.N. agencies and other donors, including the U.S. mission disaster relief officer, to the affected areas. - The GOM, through its disaster response office, is organizing rapid assessment teams. It plans to deploy those teams to the field before the end of the week to begin analysis of emergency needs. International Response: - WFP has pre-positioned food in the affected areas and plans to mobilize two helicopters already funded by USAID/OFDA to deliver food to affected areas in the northeast. The helicopters were originally funded as part of the USG response to Cyclone Leon-Eline and Tropical Storm Gloria. Public Donation Information - In the interest of effective coordination of public response, we encourage concerned citizens to provide monetary donations to appropriate organizations. To find out about contributions, USAID encourages the public to access its web site at www.info.usaid.gov or to contact its Humanitarian Hotline at 1-800-USAID-Relief between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. The public can also directly contact those private voluntary organizations (PVOs) currently working in the region to provide monetary donations. Additionally, the public can contact InterAction, a coalition of voluntary humanitarian and development organizations that work overseas, via their web site (www.interaction.org). Those interested in providing specific technical services or commodities should contact Volunteers in Technical Assistance's (VITA) Disaster Information Center for information and guidelines at (703) 276-1914. distributed by - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Volunteers in Technical Assistance Disaster Information Center lists: www.vita.org/listsub.htm sitreps nat-dsr web: www.vita.org fireline - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Southern Africa Floods: http://www.vita.org/safflud.htm