OCHA Situation Report No. 15
Mozambique - Floods
5 April 2001


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


Situation

1.  The level of the Zambezi River is slowly going down at all the
measuring stations.  At Caia, the level fell more than one metre from the
peak of 10 March, while it is still 1.77 m above flood level.  The
discharge from Cahora Bassa dam has fallen to an average 4,400 m3/s.  The
National Water Directorate (DNA) published a graph showing the flow of
water into and out of the Cahora Bassa dam since 9 January.  The graph and
other hydrological information are available at: http://www.dna.mz.
Showers are expected later this week in Zambia and this rain could affect
the Zambezi basin.  No exceptional rain is foreseen in Mozambique.

2.  The latest figure shows that there were 210,916 displaced people in 79
accommodation centres in four provinces of Manica, Sofala, Tete and
Zambezia (as of 31 March):

    |----------+----------------+-------------------------|
    | Province | No. of centres | No. of displaced people |
    |----------+----------------+-------------------------|
    | Manica   | 6              | 12,716                  |
    |----------+----------------+-------------------------|
    | Sofala   | 17             | 68,644                  |
    |----------+----------------+-------------------------|
    | Tete     | 12             | 51,518                  |
    |----------+----------------+-------------------------|
    | Zambezia | 44             | 78,038                  |
    |----------+----------------+-------------------------|
    | TOTAL    | 79             | 210,916                 |
    |----------+----------------+-------------------------|

Reports from Beira indicate that people are continuing to arrive in the
accommodation centres, particularly in Sofala province.


3.  A joint Government/UN mission is currently visiting the flood-affected
areas to assess the needs in the resettlement and rehabilitation phase.  
In particular, the mission is looking at the impact on the local economy
and commercial needs to ensure the restoration of commercial networks
(OCHA Situation Report no.14 para.4). A nutritional survey is underway in
the accommodation centres.  The planning of future food distribution will
depend on the outcomes of the above-mentioned missions.

4.  Logistics: Road repairs are needed to improve access to the affected
areas.  The access roads to Maravia and Chifunde districts in Tete
province remain impassable, while Mutarara and Magoe are now accessible
via Malawi.  Most of a convoy of 16 trucks carrying 160 tonnes of food
from Beira arrived in Caia, after some difficulties on the road.  If the
convoys continue to get through, air transport will not be required to
move supplies to Caia.  The operations need to move 500 tonnes a month to
Caia.  The current air capacity for emergency operations consists of three
heavy-lift helicopters (until 6 April) and a fixed-wing airplane (until 14
April), as well as two light planes.  A barge arrived at the Zambezi delta
on 2 April (OCHA Situation Report no.14 para.5).  Once the bed of the
river has been sounded between Caia and Mutarara, the barge will be used
to transport supplies to Mutarara.

5.  Food: WFP has distributed a total of 2,682.43 tonnes of food,
including cereals, pulses, oil, sugar and salt, since the beginning of the
emergency.  WFP is targeting 250,000 beneficiaries.

6.  Agriculture: FAO and the Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development
identified 66,500 households who require assistance to restore their
livelihood in farming in the four affected provinces. The financial
requirements have been covered by donors, although more assistance may be
needed if more households are identified in on-going assessments.  NGO
partners in the seed and tool distribution programme are Caritas, members
of Disasters Emergency Committee, the Christian Council of Mozambique,
ORAM (a Mozambican NGO), Concern and Kulima. Distribution is expected to
commence on 18 April.

7.  Health and Hygiene: Immunisation campaign continues in Zambezia
province.  A campaign started in the Zambezi valley areas on 4 April.
Results of the Ministry of Health's mission in accommodation centres in
Manica, Sofala and Tete provinces indicated that malaria has not been a
serious problem during the current rainy season.  However, it was
recommended that preventive measures, including spraying and the use of
insecticide treated mosquito nets, should continue to be taken. The
situation with regard to water supply in the accommodation centres is
reported to be good. UNICEF and the Mozambican Red Cross are distributing
chemicals for water purification. UNICEF has moved a further 80 tonnes of
water and sanitation equipment to the affected areas.  UNICEF's supplies
will be sufficient to meet the sector needs in the immediate future.  
Responsibility for providing safe water in all the centres has been
assigned to NGOs or local authorities, with equipment/supplies provided by
UNICEF.  UNICEF is moving a further 5,000 latrines slabs each to Manica
and Tete provinces for use in the accommodation centres.

8.  Education: The Ministry of Education is leading the response to ensure
access to education.  In Marromeu district (Sofala province), conditions
have been created for 689 children to receive primary education.  The
Ministry of Education is distributing UNICEF teacher and pupil kits.  
More temporary classroom facilities are being put in place.


International Assistance

9.  The Governments of Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany,
Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, 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
5 April, OCHA recorded USD 10.7 million.

10.  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

11.  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.

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



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E-mail: ochagva@un.org

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

Focal Points (OCHA Disaster Response Branch):
Mr. J. Boutroue (Chief, Africa and the Middle East)
Ms. Y. Sawada (Desk Officer)
direct Tel. +41 22 917 1438/1768

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



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