OCHA Situation Report No. 27 Mozambique - Floods 6 June 2000
Situation This report summarises information from the INGC, the UN Resident Coordinator's Office and INGC/OCHA office in Beira. 1. Coordination: On 30 May, it was agreed that the UN Disaster Management Team should meet only every two weeks. Based on the Government's prioritisation of the results of the Rome Conference, the Minister of Planning and Finance has been appointed as the focal point for the coordination of the emergency response replacing the Minister of Foreign Affairs. The International Technical Coordination meetings, originally chaired by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, are now chaired by the Director of the INGC. 2. Logistics: As additional flight time was made available through USAID funding, the Joint Logistic Operation Centre (JLOC) was operating until 31 May (Situation Report No.26 para.6 refers). Air Serve aircraft will remain in Mozambique and support the American NGOs on a free basis and other oragnizations involved in humanitarian assistance operations on a cost-reimbursable basis. Several NGOs also have aircraft directly at their disposal. With the end of the common transport pool, it is expected that more NGOs will meet any further requirements by direct charter. Air operations as of 31 May (cumulative) HOURS CARGO PASSENGERS RESCUED Maputo 7,216.5 9,561 11,542 14,678 Beira 2,398.2 2,228 2,369 1,873 TOTAL 9,614.7 11,789 13,911 16,551 3. Food: On 25 May, WFP hosted a meeting with implementing partners to discuss the transition from free food distribution to food-for-work (FFW) schemes. Several NGOs indicated that more and more of their emergency projects were being incorporated into their long-term development plans. WFP reported to be 80% funded through September, based on a number of 450,000 beneficiaries. Unless the present demand to feed 650,000 persons is reduced, it is expected that the food pipeline will in fact dry out before August. As of the end of May, 12,657 tonnes of food were delivered to Gaza, Manica, Sofala, and Maputo province since the start of the emergency in February. 4. Shelter: The Government is organizing two resettlement seminars on 5 June and 9 June in Beira covering the provinces of Manica, Sofala and Inhambane and in Maputo covering the provinces of Maputo City, Maputo and Gaza. The purpose is to discuss concerns regarding the tenure of land in the new areas identified for resettlement, especially in urban areas, and the need for comprehensive action plan at district and provincial levels which coordinate the different structures and actors in the resettlement phase. The UNDP Resettlement Unit has been actively involved in the preparation of the seminars. The UK Department of International Development (DFID) will second, through UNDP Emergency Response Division, an expert to work with the Resettlement Unit. The Government, through the Ministry of Public Works and Housing, has agreed in principle that UNDP's shelter/resettlement unit should be placed in the Ministry, allowing for closer collaboration. 5. Demining: The project for demining focuses on the following: reconnaissance and information gathering; mine action training for the displaced and humanitarian aid workers; analysis of resettlement patterns; and emergency clearances task to restore basic supplies of water and electricity as well as infrastructure. The work is ongoing and USD 1.2 million out of USD 5.5 million required have been received from Canada, Australia, Germany, and Denmark through the UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS). 6. Infrastructure: The Government has set up a technical committee to follow up the application of the funds pledged at the Rome Conference on post-flood reconstruction in Mozambique. The National Road Administration, together with representatives of INGC and WFP, have assessed road conditions in the area between the Limpopo and Changane rivers in Gaza province on 24 May. The access to the area by vehicle is not possible as there are two cuts near Chibuto. Repairs of these two cuts are essential to secure access to the villages of Mucotene and Chaimite. On the road between Chaimite and Chibabel, several breaks are hampering heavy vehicles' access to villages. The main national high way (EN1) remains impassable between Chicumbane and Xai Xai. The alternative route linking Maputo to parts of the country north of Xai Xai remains closed. Repair work on the rail way is ongoing between Motaze and Chokwe. Detailed Bailey bridge requirements in Gaza province and the information on access in Maputo province are available in the INGC Situation Report on 31 May at the OCHA Internet Website (http://www.reliefweb.int) 7. Health: A steep decline in the incidence of acute diarrhoea has been observed in all provinces, while the incidence of malaria remains high, except for Maputo, where a decrease has been noted. The working group on Health decided to meet when need be. 8. Others: Media Action International, a Swiss NGO, has received support from DFID, the Freeplay Foundation and the United Methodist Church for a project to assist the flood victims in Southern Mozambique. The project aims at providing the affected population with timely and relevant information through distribution of wind-up and solar powered radios for teachers, health workers, community groups, religious groups and local government institutions. Radio Mozambique has been assisted as a part of this project to improve the quality of the broadcasts. 9. Any future updates on contributions to this disaster may be found by clicking on Financial Tracking at the top of the page for this disaster on the OCHA Internet Website (http://www.reliefweb.int). Donors are requested to verify this table and inform OCHA Geneva of corrections/additions/values. Donors are encouraged to notify OCHA Geneva of their contributions to this disaster using the OCHA Standardized Contributions Recording Format, available electronically in the above mentioned Financial Tracking Website. 10. This Situation Report and further information on ongoing emergencies are also available on the OCHA Internet Website at: http://www.reliefweb.int. Telephone: +41-22-9171234 Fax: +41-22-917 0023 In case of emergency Tel. only +41-22-917 20 10 Desk Officers (OCHA Mr. K. Wiersing /Ms. Y. Disaster Response Branch) Sawada, direct Tel. +41-22 917 2270/ +41-22-917 1768 Press contact: Mr. Donato Kiniger-Passigli, direct Tel. +41-22-91726 53 distributed by - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Volunteers in Technical Assistance Disaster Information Center lists: www.vita.org/listsub.htm sitreps nat-dsr web: www.vita.org fireline - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -