OCHA Situation Report No. 6
Mozambique: Floods
21 February 2007


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

SITUATION OVERVIEW

1. In support of the Government of Mozambique's efforts to respond to
the current floods and after deliberations among the UN Country Team,
and the rest of the humanitarian community, including NGOs and the
International Federation Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), it
has been decided to implement the cluster approach for the coordination
of the humanitarian response to the floods in Mozambique.

2. The cluster approach is meant to strengthen humanitarian response by
demanding high standards of predictability, accountability, and
partnership in all sectors or areas of activity. The objective is to
achieve more strategic response and better prioritizations, and better
defining the roles and responsibilities of humanitarian organizations
within the different sectors.

3. In line with the humanitarian reform, and following the support of
the request sent by RC to the Emergency Relief Coordinator to establish
clusters at country level, the following clusters have been established:

|--------------+-----------------+-----------------------------------|
| Cluster for  |  Cluster lead   | Cluster participants              |
|  emergency   |                 |                                   |
|   response   |                 |                                   |
|--------------+-----------------+-----------------------------------|
|Logistics     |WFP              |UNICEF, UNDP, IOM, IFRC, NGOs      |
|--------------+-----------------+-----------------------------------|
|Food Security |WFP/FAO          |IRD, SCA, World Vision,            |
|              |                 |World Relief                       |
|--------------+-----------------+-----------------------------------|
|Telecomms     |WFP              |UNICEF                             |
|--------------+-----------------+-----------------------------------|
|Water,        |UNICEF           |Oxfam, Samaritans Purse, MSF-L,    |
|Sanitation    |                 |IRD, FHI                           |
|and Hygiene   |                 |                                   |
|--------------+-----------------+-----------------------------------|
|Nutrition     |UNICEF           |SCA, WHO, FAO, WFP, CARE, World    |
|              |                 |Vision, FHI, World Relief,         |
|              |                 |Samaritans Purse                   |
|--------------+-----------------+-----------------------------------|
|Health        |WHO              |Medicus Mundi, World Vision,       |
|              |                 |UNFPA, UNICEF                      |
|--------------+-----------------+-----------------------------------|
|Education     |Save the Children|World Vision, CONCERN, UNESCO,     |
|              |Alliance/ UNICEF |Africare, Samaritans Purse,        |
|              |                 |Instituto da ComunicacaSocial      |
|--------------+-----------------+-----------------------------------|
|Protection    |Save the Children|World Vision, UNFPA, Africare,     |
|              |Alliance/ UNICEF |Handicap International, Samaritans |
|              |                 |Purse, WFP, Action Aid, Concern,   |
|              |                 |Halo Trust, ASADEC, ASVIMO         |
|--------------+-----------------+-----------------------------------|
|Shelter       |CVM/IFRC         |Habitat, German Agro Action,       |
|              |                 |Samaritans Purse, UNICEF           |
|--------------+-----------------+-----------------------------------|
|Early         |UNDP             |All Partners                       |
|Recovery      |                 |                                   |
|--------------+-----------------+-----------------------------------|


RESPONSE

4. The INGC has established an operational group in Caia, including
partner staff members, which is working to implement a system to ensure
the effective delivery of supplies, based on the plan developed.

5. The teams undertaking the multi-sectoral assessment to build upon
initial assessments, travelled to the affected areas on 18 February to
begin work. The assessment will be conducted by governmental and
non-governmental partners, and will cover areas including education,
food, nutrition, health, HIV/AIDS, water and sanitation, market access,
shelter, protection, assistance received, status of basic infrastructure
and security.

6. The UNICEF team in Caia (Sofala province) has reported that 9 new
accommodation centres have been established in the area, bringing the
total number of centres to 55, including both accommodation and
resettlement centres, as of 18 February. The active case finding
assessment to assess the nutritional status of children in the centres
is ongoing, and the assessment of education needs for all centres has
been completed. The team is working with INGC and other partners to
ensure that identified needs are met and that the supply distribution
plan developed is effectively implemented.

7. A Three Ws (Who-is-doing-what-where) coordination matrix is being
developed by INGC, with support from UNCEF. This allows partners to
identify gaps implementation and priority areas for intervention.

8. A truck of supplies, sent from Caia, arrived in Mopeia on 18
February, containing 5 rolls of plastic sheeting, 5 boxes of chlorine, 4
water tanks, 60 latrine slabs and 6 large tents. These supplies should
cover the immediate needs and an additional need for jerry cans was
identified. Organizations are liaising with the INGC to monitor and
address the outstanding supply requirements.

9. The cholera prevention activities being implemented by multimedia
mobile units began in the accommodation centers in the Tete area on 19
February. Preparations are underway to start work in the Caia and Mopeia
areas.

10. In coordination with the INGC/CANOE, WFP is working with local
community leaders on the implementation of "wet feeding" at community
kitchens CAs to make more efficient use of resources, and avoid
attracting unaffected people to the CAs because of the food
distributions.

11. One of the urgent needs is food. Today, 21.19MT of food were
distributed to 8,095 people in of Inhangoma.

12. The telecommunications is one other area of great need. TDM
confirmed that the leased line for phone, fax and data transmissions
will be installed in Caia by Wed., 21 Feb. Telecoms sans Frontieres
(TSF) is currently providing data transmission via two RBGAN
workstations at the CENOE in Caia.

13. In Caia, 40 activists from Save the Children are preparing to
conduct orientation on protection issues, particularly in the
accommodation centers.

14. UNICEF is liaising with the Ministry of Interior Affairs on the
development of a plan to ensure that at least 3 police are deployed to
each centre (24 hours a day). The police officers will be given a
one-day rapid training on protection issues, particularly of women and
children.

15. The logistics for the delivery of supplies remains a concern. In
order to address the situation, the INGC in Caia has developed an
overall action plan to guide the effective response and delivery of
supplies, by centre and by component (food, water and sanitation,
health, education and shelter). The action plan will guide the
distribution of supplies to all of the centres, with specified time
schedules and responsible partners outlined, and will be monitored
during the daily de-briefing sessions at the Central Operations Centre
in Caia.

16. INGC radio room at Caia was installed by WPF ICT staff at the
beginning of the emergency operations. This radio has contact with the
majority of local Administrations in the region, as well as INGC and WFP
bases in Maputo, Beira and Tete. A second phase room was installed on 18
February at WFP air-operations Office in Caia. This radio room is
available for use by any organization involved in the emergency
response.

17. The INGC helicopter that will be used primarily for assessments has
arrived in Caia, making a fleet of two helicopters, including the WFP
MI-8 already on location. The MI-8 continues to do assessment flights as
well as move people and food to areas cut off by road.

Coordination

18. Development Partners Group (DPG) members regarded the cluster
approach as very open and participative. This feedback was provided
during the briefing session chaired by Ndolamb Ngokwey, UN Resident
Coordinator, with donors held on 16 February. The meeting is part of the
effort to ensure a better coordination and information among partners in
supporting the Government of Mozambique to address the emergency
situation at the Zambezi River.

19. A coordinated donor update will be prepared by the UN and NGOs under
the Cluster Approach based on the outcomes of the ongoing needs
assessments.

20. A second OCHA (Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs)
Officer arrived on Friday, 16 to provide general coordination support to
the UN Resident Coordinator's Office (RCO). He will be joining his
colleague who arrived in Maputo on 10 February to assist the RCO and the
UN Country Team in developing a CERF proposal.

21. Two Early Recovery specialists from the Bureau for Crises Prevention
and Recovery (BCPR/UNDP) are due to arrive from Geneva this Wednesday to
provide immediate surge capacity support to UNDP Country Office. The
senior recovery advisor will advice the UNDP country office to set and
convene the Early Recovery Network in collaboration with national
institutions and will assist in determining medium and long term support
needs. Before this deployment decision, BCPR approved $100,000 to
support UNDP Country Office coordination efforts.

Contact Details:

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

UN Resident Coordinator (Mozambique)
  Mr. Ndolamb Ngokwey
   Tel: + 258-21-485-158

OCHA Regional Office for Southern Africa (South Africa)
  Mr. Jean-Luc Tonglet
   Tel: + 27-11-517-1595

Desk Officer (New York)
  Ms. Mette Tangen
   Tel: + 1-917-367-3001

Press contact:
  GVA - Ms. Elizabeth Byrs, Tel. +41-22-917 2653
  NYC - Ms. Ms. Stephanie Bunker, Tel:  +1-917-367-5126

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