OCHA Situation Report No. 6
Malawi - Floods
9 April 2001


This report is based on information received from the UN Resident
Coordinator's Office in Malawi.

Situation

1.  President Bakili Muluzi visited the worst affected districts of
Chikwawa and Nsanje in the Lower Shire Valley on Sunday 8 April, the media
reported.  The Department of Disaster Preparedness, Relief and
Rehabilitation (DDPRR) reported that 334,985 people have been displaced
and 59 people lost their lives in 13 of the 27 country's districts to
date.  On 27 March, DDPRR reported that the districts of Mwanza (Southern
region), Karonga (Northern region) and Kasungu (Central Region) were newly
affected by floods.  In Mchinji, Salima and Machinga, there were
additional numbers of affected households reported to the district
assemblies.

2.  According to the results of assessment missions, the damage was on a
small scale and the figures of people affected were relatively low in the
districts of Blantyre, Dedza and Thyolo, compared to other districts hit
by the floods (Blantyre: 10,000 persons; Dedza: 600; and Thylo: 1,500 as
of 11 March).

3.  The urgent need for food aid and for farming inputs to allow farmers
to prepare for the winter season was identified by a joint FAO/WFP food
assessment mission which was completed on 19 March (OCHA Situation Report
no.5 para.2).  The mission estimated the crop damage at between 10 and 80%
and the total crop damaged/affected area at 41,706 hectares. The average
percentages of farm families affected by crop damage is 32% in Nsanje, 31%
in Chikwawa and 21% in Nkhotakota.  WFP's Immediate Response Emergency
Operation which targeted 60,000 people in six districts was completed.  
As a follow up, on 3 April, WFP launched a three-month Emergency Operation
Plan for 208,500 people, seeking USD 3.3 million.

4.  A UNICEF/WHO joint assessment mission fielded between 12 and 19 March
confirmed that health and sanitation conditions are of a great concern.
Cases of cholera in Chikwawa are rising while the Government facilities
are facing lack of appropriate medicine and detailed information on the
deteriorating health situation.


National Assistance

5.  The Government continues to distribute relief items, using the
K37,000,000 (approx. USD 481,771) released by the Ministry of Finance and
Economic Planning.  The Ministry further released K4,000,000 (approx.
USD52,083) to the DDPRR.

6.  The DDPRR organised regular meetings for the Ad-hoc Committee for
Emergency Response, involving all stakeholders and district officials.
Various sub-sectoral committees on food, water, health and sanitation,
infrastructure, shelter, non-food items and security met regularly.  The
district level authorities played active roles in facilitating a targeting
and registration of beneficiaries for the WFP's food aid distribution
programme.


International Assistance

7.  The Government of Botswana donated 16 motor boats for flood relief
operations. To date, the Governments of Botswana, Canada, China, Germany,
Norway, Sweden and the United States have pledged or provided cash and/or
in-kind contributions bilaterally or through NGOs or the UN system.  As of
9 April, OCHA recorded USD 424,379.

8.  On 4 April, OCHA asked the UN Resident Coordinator to initiate
discussions with the UN Country Team on possibility of issuing a joint
consolidated UN appeal to complement the Government's appeal for USD 6.7
million.

9.  The UN Resident Coordinator organised a two-day field visit involving
some of the heads of agencies to the affected districts in the Southern
Region from 22 to 24 March (Situation Report no.5 para. 2)

10.  UNDP is reinforcing the DDPRR office set up in Blantyre by providing
a team of consultants to assist in information management and in
coordinating relief operations.  In addition, UNDP will cover the cost of
hiring 35 field officers to be posted in the districts to assist District
Assemblies in coordinating assistance.

11.  UNV has donated USD 10,000 towards flood disaster relief.  A part of
these resources have been earmarked for recruitment of three national
volunteers who will be working under the WFP's Emergency Operation Plan.

12.  UNICEF will work in the three most affected districts of Nsanje,
Chikwawa and Salima, with District Management Teams (Health, Education,
Gender Youth and Community Services Departments) and the Save the Children
(UK).  UNICEF will provide basic medicines, water purifying chemicals,
shelter materials and blankets.  WHO has mobilised funds to assist the
relief operations, in consultation and coordination with the Ministry of
Health.  UNHCR will allocate blankets and kitchen utensils after
consultation with DDPRR on the actual needs.

13.  On 26 March, IFRC revised its appeal, seeking a total of CHF3,513,691
(approx.  USD 2 million) to assist 20,000 people with flood relief for two
months and 22,500 families (112,500 people) with rehabilitation assistance
for four months.

14.  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 -
Malawi - floods 2001". OCHA provides donors with written confirmation and
pertinent details concerning the utilisation of the funds contributed

15.  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.

16.  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

Focal Points (OCHA Disaster Response Branch):
  Mr. J. Boutroue (Chief, Africa I 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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