OCHA Situation Report No. 14
Mozambique - Floods
29 March 2001


This report summarises information received from the UN Resident
Coordinator's Office in Mozambique.

Situation

1.  As there has been little rainfall upstream in the Zambezi basin over
the last few days, the river level is falling slowly.  The water discharge
of the Cahora Bassa dam decreased to 7,500 m3/s on 26 March and to 6,500
m3/s on 27 March, following the decrease in the inflow to the dam. The
river level of the Zambezi is fluctuating with a tendency to go down,
although it still remains nearly 3 m above flood level.  The levels of the
Buzi and the Save Rivers are also gradually decreasing.

2.  Assessments carried out in the four affected provinces of Manica,
Sofala, Tete and Zambezia, estimate that the number of displaced people in
temporary accommodation centres now exceeds 200,000.  There are currently
some 70 centres in the provinces (OCHA Situation Report no.13 para 2 and
3).  The numbers moving to the accommodation centres have risen sharply in
the last days, mainly because people who preferred to stay where they were
with their livestock and other property are now leaving for accommodation
centres to receive food and other assistance.

3.  The road between Beira and Chimoio is cut for the fourth time this
year.  The poor condition of the road to Caia constitutes a severe problem
for the distribution of assistance.

4.  Next week, the Government will initiate an evaluation mission with
representatives from the Ministries of Health, Agriculture, Public Works
and Commerce, and the UN agencies. The purpose of the mission is to study
the conditions in the affected areas to prioritize and fine-tune
requirements listed in the Government's appeal for USD 30 million launched
on 21 February, and plan for the resettlement and rehabilitation phase.

The mission will also look at the impact on the local economy and
commercial needs to ensure the restoration of commercial networks.  It is
feared that many people are still trapped in Chinde, Luabo, and Marromeu,
with no access to food and other assistance and will remain isolated, as
the floodwaters are not receding enough to allow their return.  The
mission will be led by the National Institute for Disaster Management
(INGC) and expected to start on 2 April for 6 days.


5.  Logistics: As the rescue phase is over, two small helicopters for
assessments, two heavy lift helicopters and the Portuguese Civil
Protection contingent which has been working with the Mozambican navy, are
expected to be phasing out by the end of this week. The WFP heavy lift
helicopter will stay until 6 April.  From 1 April, the air assets will
consist of one heavy lift helicopter, and three large and two small
fixed-wing aircraft.  A barge is due to arrive at the mouth of the Zambezi
River on 1 April to provide cargo capacity.

6.  Food: WFP is currently working with 227,000 people as the basis of its
planning for the supply and distribution of food aid.  It has distributed
some 1,800 tonnes of food since the beginning of the emergency.
Implementing partners to distribute food have not yet been found for
Changara and Mutarara districts in Tete province.  UNICEF and WFP are
working on a supplementary feeding of 36,000 children and pregnant and
lactating mothers.

7.  Agriculture: FAO has ordered agricultural kits for distribution in
Sofala and Zambezia provinces.  Lutheran World Federation is distributing
seeds and tools in Zumbo and Magoe districts in Tete province.

8.  Health and Hygiene:  UNICEF has distributed 12,000 insecticide treated
mosquito nets and drugs for the treatment of malaria.  Immunisation
campaign continues in Zambezia province.  In other areas along the Zambezi
valley, the Ministry of Health and UNICEF are finalising their
implementation plans for immunizations.  UNICEF and MSF are working to
improve the supply of clear water in Quelimane to prevent cholera, in
cooperation with the Ministry of Public Works.  UNICEF and NGOs are
distributing supplies and conducting hygiene promotion activities.
Thousands of latrines are being put in place in the affected areas a nd a
further 10,000 latrine slabs are being sent to Manica and Tete provinces.


International Assistance

9.  A plane chartered by the Norwegian Red Cross arrived in Beira on 22
March with 23 tonnes of relief items, including blankets, jerry cans and
cholera kits.  Further donations of tents and jerry cans from the British,
Swedish and Swiss Red Cross are en route to Mozambique from South Africa.

10.  The Governments of Australia, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Japan,
Portugal, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States have
pledged or provided cash and/or in-kind contributions bilaterally or
through NGOs or the UN system.  As of 29 March, OCHA recorded USD 8.9
million.

11.  OCHA is prepared to serve as channel for cash contributions to be
used for immediate relief assistance, in co-ordination/consultation with
relevant organisations in the United Nations system.  Funds should be
transferred to OCHA account no. CO-590.160.0, Swift code: UBSWCHZ12A at
the UBS AG, P.O. Box 2770, CH-1211 Geneva 2, with reference: "OCHA -
Mozambique - floods 2001".  OCHA provides donors with written confirmation
and pertinent details concerning the utilisation of the funds contributed

12.  Information 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.

13.  This Situation Report and further information on ongoing emergencies
are also available on the OCHA Internet Website at
http://www.reliefweb.int




Telephone: +41-22-91712 34
Fax: +41-22-917 00 23
E-mail: ochagva@un.org

In case of emergency only: Tel. +41-22-917 20 10

Desk Officers (OCHA Disaster Response Branch):
Mr. K. Wiersing / Ms. Y. Sawada / Mr. M. Bonnel
direct Tel. +41 22 917 2270 / 1768 / 1457

Press contact:  Mr. Donato Kiniger-Passigli, direct Tel. +41-22-91726 53


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